SPECIAL EDITION
Volume IV No.12 Nicholas Scrolls March
2009
The
Land where GOD walked as a Man
Part Six
Greetings brethren, friends and
neighbors,
Our journey continues in part six
of this Special Edition series of the Nicholas Scrolls. In part five we
traveled near the Lebanon
and Syrian border visiting the Tel Dan and Banias Reserves learning much about this
region’s long and often bloody history. From Abraham to the Islamic occupation,
this area has long been the front of many battles and various periods of
occupation by non Jewish peoples. Every culture including the Crusaders left
their mark behind. It was finally taken back from Syria
by the Israeli Defense Forces in the 1967 Six Day War securing among other
resources, the Jordan River’s arterial water
supply. We saw the “High Place” where Jeroboam deceived the Jews he had charge
over telling them that the “golden calf”
idol he had fashioned was the god that delivered them out of Egypt. We also marveled at Israel’s oldest known man-made structure, the
impressive Canaanite Gate through which Abraham traveled while on his way to Egypt later settling in the Land of Canaan.
In part six we will depart
Tiberias but before arriving in Jerusalem we will visit Tel Megiddo, the site
of many wars and the one still yet to occur; the battle of Armageddon. We will
also visit Mount Carmel where Elijah the
prophet overcame the prophets of Baal proving Baal to be a false god. Then
traveling west of the West Bank territories, we will stop at Caesarea on the
Mediterranean coast to view another of Herod’s great building achievements and
see the famous elevated Roman aqueduct system that provided water to the
inhabitants of Caesarea.
Tel
Megiddo
Mount
Megiddo is most probably the earth’s
oldest strategic stronghold where countless numbers of armies over the course
of millennia have launched their campaigns in a seemingly unending desire to
occupy and control the Land
of Israel. It overlooks a
vast valley below and has been witness to more bloodshed than any other place
on earth. The Revelation to John reveals that this will once again be the place
of the last and greatest battle in all mankind’s history for it is the place
Jews call Har Megiddo or what Gentiles call Armageddon. It is here where our
Bibles tell us that the armies of the earth will gather together to do battle
against our Lord.
Revelation
16:13-16 “And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of
the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the
false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which
go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to
the battle of that great day of God Almighty. “Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watches, and
keeps his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.” And
he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Har Megiddo (Armageddon).
Megiddo
is located southeast of Haifa positioned at the head
of a mountain pass on the western end of the Valley of Jezreel.
Its location has long been a strategic stronghold throughout history and the
site of many biblical battles. It’s eyewitness to countless battles infact
predates biblical times. The mount was the object of many different
fortifications throughout history protecting its location against attack from
contending empires right on up to World War I. Archeological excavations
conducted from 1925 to 1939 uncovered at least 20 different historical periods
dating from 4000 BC to 400 BC. More recent digs and study of this Tel have
revealed as many as 27 layers (periods) of civilization.
On the eastern edge of the site
are the ruins of three Canaanite Temples. The Israel Nature and Natural Parks
authority have provided walking paths throughout this large site so that
visitors can achieve fairly close viewing of the different layers of
civilization that have been uncovered here. Walking around the southern part of
the Tel we saw the ruins of what appear to have been stables constructed in the
9th century BC by King Ahab. Some of the stone hitching posts and
mangers (feeding troughs) are still visible validating its former use as a
stable. Near the center of the site is an amazing stone grain silo complete
with a staircase against its walls circling downward to its lower level. Built
between 792 – 752 BC during the time of Jeroboam and Ben Joash, King of Israel.
The grain silo is still mostly covered by earth but its intended use is quite
obvious by its appearance.
Of the most significant and well
preserved ruins on the site is the “Chariot City” built by King Solomon in the
10th century BC. Seemingly built on top of another are the remains
of ruins and cities built by successive Israelites and Hyksos each
distinguishable by the marked differences in building stones and method. Often
times the remnants of former walls and pathways were added to by succeeding
generations’ effectively adding one civilization atop another. Remains of a Temple dating back to the
Chalcolithic period in the late 4th and early 3rd century
BC were also visible. Surrounding the entire city are visible ruins of what
once was an unmistakable wall protecting the city’s inhabitants which are
remnants of the ancient Israelite
Kingdom.
The most impressive structure at
this site is an ancient water system built back in the 19th century
BC. A most remarkable example of engineering, the structure consists of a very
large shaft carved through solid limestone and sandstone bedrock to a depth of
120 feet. At the lowest level the shaft meets a tunnel cut downward and deeper
into the solid bedrock for a distance of 215 feet meeting with a spring that
was located outside of the city’s limits. Archeologists believe that the unique
engineering of this water system was necessary to protect the water supply and
its retrieval during periods when the city was under siege by invading armies.
Venturing outside to collect water just wasn’t possible so this system was
built and kept a secret to invading forces trying to overtake Megiddo. Even the springs which was located
outside the city’s limits was camouflaged by an earthen wall.
Descending down the massive shaft
to the underground tunnels was quite awe inspiring. As our group entered the
tunnel system single file we had to duck our heads to avoid getting bumped by
its low over hanging ceiling. As I entered the tunnel descending deeper into
the mountain, I began to sing the verse, “Blessed is he
that comes in the name of the Lord.” My deep baritone voice resonated
through the tunnel chamber. I most often sing this verse while in the shower
after prayer as it calms my spirit and keeps my thoughts humble towards God.
The tunnel’s walls were reminiscent of the bright multi-colored sandstones we
saw at Petra with
swirling mixes of purple, reds and yellow exposed by the lighting that was provided
for visitors along the walk. The Parks authority had also provided an elevated
metal walkway with hand rails for safety. As we descended further, the air
temperature cooled and you could smell a distinct dampness in the air. At the
tunnel’s lowest point we arrived at the place where the springs were located.
We were surprised to see that water still collects in the carved out reservoir.
From there we made a steep climb back up coming out on the other side quite a
distance away from where we entered. Making my ascent, I marveled at the degree
of effort and engineering it must have taken to remove so much solid rock in
building this system. Keep in mind there were no power tools or heavy equipment
in the period this was built. Using only hand tools and brawn, by the sweat of
men’s backs were such feats accomplished. Words cannot aptly describe this kind
of human achievement.
While at this site, I had asked
several tour members to keep on the lookout for any fossils lying atop the
ground. The type of formation that Megiddo
was built on is typical of a place that might produce fossil finds. I thought
that over many millennia of building activity, literally carving from this mountain
the materials used to make such a city possible, fossils might be readily found
at the site. Though Renée and I did collect some small fragments of hewn stone,
I did not find the fossil I was hoping for. We did however see a brightly
colored lizard sunning itself upon one of the ancient walls at the site. It
remained quite still for us as we snapped a few photos of its pose before
leaving the site.
Ancient
Church uncovered at Megiddo Prison
On the way to Mount Carmel we
passed the Megiddo Prison facility which houses prisoners from the north part
of Israel.
Our tour guide Hela shares with us that in November of 2005, a structure,
believed by some archeologists to be the earliest evidence of a Christian
Church was uncovered during efforts to expand the prison facility. With the
help of 60 prisoners under the direction of the Israel Archeological
Association, teams worked to uncover what is considered to be the largest
Christian Church ever found in Israel.
The floor of the structure was a large mosaic tile with the Greek inscription
dedicating the facility to the Lord Jesus Christ. Three other inscriptions were
also found at the site. Among them was a dedication to Gaianus, a military
officer who contributed to the construction of the mosaic floor. A third inscription memorializes four Greek
women and the fourth memorializes a certain God-loving person, “Afektos.” Believed to be dated between
the 3rd and 4th century AD, this was a rare find, unique
and important to the understanding of the early period of Christianity being
recognized as an official religion in Israel.
Mount Carmel
Our next stop took us to Mount Carmel, the place where the Prophet Ezekiel battled
against the prophets of Baal. Mount Carmel is
mostly made up of ancient limestone and is honeycombed with many caves around
its perimeter and in the hillsides. Walking about the mountain top gives one a
feeling that he has stepped back into a land that time has forgotten. Here,
you’ll see strangely shaped limestone rock outcroppings protruding from the
forest floor between stands of trees. Their surface has withstood thousands of
years of weather and natural erosion processes giving them a polished
appearance. While meandering through the stands of trees I could easily visualize
small dinosaurs grazing on the greenery as it had the appearance of a primeval
forest setting.
Of the 24 prophets that came
before Christ Jesus, Ezekiel is one of my favorites next to his contemporary,
Jeremiah. History records that Ezekiel was taken to Babylon during the Babylonian exile in 597
BC. Five years later he was called into prophetic service to deliver both,
warnings of judgment and promises of restoration to the rebellious House of
Israel. The Book of Ezekiel records his activities as a prophet during the Babylonian
exile directing his message to his fellow captives and also to those still at
home in Israel.
When the king of Babylon,
Nebuchadnezzar captured Jerusalem and exiled
Jehoiachin, king of Judah,
the children of Israel
remained impenitent despite their captivity. This set the stage for Ezekiel’s
commission to venture out and give warning of Jerusalem’s pending destruction and the
deportation of yet greater numbers of Jews. Six years after Ezekiel began to
preach his warnings, his words came true. In 586 BC Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem and brought all but a few of the survivors to Babylonia. Though Israel
remained impenitent, God still being full of mercy directed Ezekiel to proclaim
encouraging news that Israel’s
exile would not last long and promised that they would once again be restored as
God’s faithful instrument of salvation to all men.
Next to the strange depictions in
the Book of Revelation, no other book in our Bible quite matches the
mysterious, strange and even weird visions and descriptions found in the Book
of Ezekiel. These appear more frequently than in any other book and quite often
the visions are bizarre, even grotesque in description. Through all its daring
allegory and symbolism, both threat of judgment and promise of restoration are
frequently expressed. Purified by their Babylonian exile, Israel once again becomes the
bearer of God’s faithful promises which inevitably lead to the New Covenant
even unto our time.
Amidst the prophetic warnings of
judgment that Ezekiel was commissioned to deliver was also the “Word
of the Lord” regarding six neighboring Arab/Palestinian nations and
their treatment of God’s children. Three of them, Ammon,
Moab and Edom are now in Jordan. Tyre
and Sidon are of Lebanon
and Philistia is that region which encompasses the infamous Gaza strip. With the current tensions still
existing between Israel
and its Palestinian neighbors, it would appear that there are still some
remaining fulfillment left to be accomplished of Ezekiel’s prophetic service. The
following account recorded in the first Book of Kings will demonstrate that
Elijah’s methods were at times as radical and strange as were his visions.
The
Invite…
1 Kings 18:17-20 “And
it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he
that troubles Israel?
And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's
house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast
followed Balaam. Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto Mount Carmel,
and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves
four hundred, which eat at Jezebel's table. So Ahab sent unto all the children
of Israel, and gathered the
prophets together unto Mount Carmel.”
Preparing
the Challenge…
1 Kings 18:21-26 “And
Elijah came unto all the people, and said, how long halt ye between two
opinions? If the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the
people answered him not a word. Then
said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the LORD; but
Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men. Let them therefore give us
two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in
pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other
bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: And call ye on the name
of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answers
by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said it is well
spoken. And Elijah said unto the
prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first;
for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under. And
they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on
the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But
there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which
was made.”
Elijah
mocks the false prophets…
1 Kings 18:27-29 “And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked
them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is
pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be
awaked. And they cried aloud, and cut
themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed
out upon them. And it came to pass, when
midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the
evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any
that regarded.”
Elijah
prepares his sacrifice…
1 Kings 18:30-35 “And Elijah said unto all the people, come
near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar
of the LORD that was broken down. And Elijah took twelve stones, according to
the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD
came, saying, Israel shall be thy name: And with the stones he built an altar
in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as
would contain two measures of seed. And he put the wood in order, and cut the
bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels
with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood. And he
said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he
said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time. And the
water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.”
How likely is it that a soaking wet sacrifice upon a soaked altar with
water all about it could burn? Do we generally not look for dry wood to start a
fire? The people who followed the prophets of Baal must have really thought
Elijah was out of his mind?
Elijah’s
Prayer…
1 Kings 18:36-39 “And it came to pass at the time of the
offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said,
LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou
art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these
things at thy word. Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that
thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. Then
the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and
the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.
And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The
LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.”
Just
Consequences for Sin…
1 Kings 18:40 “And Elijah said unto them, Take the
prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah
brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.”
As graphic as this account is, it demonstrates the power of God when He
desires to reveal Himself to witnesses. It was also nothing short of a miracle
that the fire from heaven consumed and burned even the stones upon the altar
and all the water thereabout. Being zealous for God but not able to bear the
sight of his countrymen’s inability to worship and honor the God of Israel,
Elijah demonstrated for us the hallmark of a true love for God; a burning zeal
that knows no rest until it has also set others aflame with the fervent love
for God. In this one act, God vindicated Elijah setting for us an example that
God desires us to be zealous in our faith toward His divine being.
Leaving the beautiful and serene gardens of Mount
Carmel, we ventured a short distance away to a Druze village for
lunch ordering once again those funny “Jewish tacos” – falafel. Afterwards we
began our last leg toward our final destination, Jerusalem. Traveling south and to the west of
the infamous “West Bank” area we saw miles of
the wall which Israeli’s built to segregate themselves from Palestinian
controlled communities. This wall helps Israeli security forces to control and
monitor Palestinians moving about the country.
Increasing
Jewish Settlements
Though the Arab population is rapidly increasing within the West Bank
territories, Jewish settlers with conviction upon their hearts continue to
build settlement communities within the West Bank;
a move by Israeli’s to occupy large portions of the land that Palestinians claim
as their own. A main contention to the “Two State” solution for if the West
Bank areas become heavily occupied by Jews then handing over this area to
Palestinian Authority raises some egregious concerns. Many Jews do not want to
see their rightful inheritance divided up for it was promised them by God. Feeling
displaced, many Palestinians want to see Israel fall believing the land has
long belonged to them.
There are but three choices for Israel in dealing with this
dilemma. One: is to solve the problem democratically which many feel would be
disastrous for Israel
because of the centuries long contention held between the two parties. The fear
is that the increasing pressure from Arab Nations would effectively cause Israel to cease
in its existence. Palestinians also desire Jerusalem
to be their Capitol
City which causes much
consternation between the two groups. Two: Israel
could play the strong arm and force all the Palestinian Arabs out of Israel pushing them back into Jordan and Syria where they first originated
thus effectively causing an ethnic cleansing. This option would not bode well
with many other Nations, especially those belonging to the UN. Three: Accept
the “Two State” solution in the hope that a peaceful
co-existence might develop between Israeli’s and Palestinians thus ending the
thousands of years of conflict between the two parties. The current dilemma is
exacerbated now because growing majorities on both sides seem to be in
agreement that “Peace” is an impossible
goal between the two. The culprits of course are the religious differences,
each holding onto their fundamental systems of belief. Personally, I don’t see
a long lasting solution to this conflict until Christ Jesus returns “making
His enemies a foot-stool for His feet” thereby settling the matter once
and for all.
An increasing number of people believe the current situation has
developed into apartheid whereby a small group of peoples maintain oppressive
control over a larger populous. While in pure statistical numbers this may appear
true, you have to take into account that history has made this so through what
chastening God has allowed for his chosen people. History actually records that
the Jews have suffered more than any other culture on earth. Israel thrives
on the fundamental belief (faith) that they are entitled to that land through
God’s providence. In my humblest opinion, I think the Palestinian Arabs should
return to their ancestral lands in Syria
and Jordan
since there is no shortage of real-estate. The Jews have only one percent of
all Arab – Middle East territory and in my
view they should be allowed to peacefully inhabit and prosper in a land they
have always called their own. Where Israel has little to give up or
divide, neighboring Arab countries have vast sections of real-estate to share
among their own kind. Let Israel be
Israel I say and let there be peace in Jerusalem - AMEN
Mark 12:36 “For David himself said by
the Holy Ghost, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I
make thine enemies thy footstool.”
Hebrews 10:13 “From henceforth expecting till his enemies
be made his footstool.”
Caesarea
Before arriving at Caesarea we
stopped a short distance north of the National Park to view the ancient
elevated Roman aqueduct system which provided water to the residents living at Caesarea. Originally 7.5 km long, it carried waters from
the Shuni springs northeast of the city. While there, we walked along the beach
after seeing the impressive structure up close and snapped a few photos. I made
it a point to take my shoes off, roll up my pant legs and go wading in the Mediterranean Sea. Renée snapped a bunch of photos at
this site while I walked in the briny waters soaking up the scenery. Just off
the reef line running parallel to the beach there were two fishermen. One man
standing on his knees atop an inflated inner tube with netting secured around
it. The fisherman was deploying a cast net along the reef’s outer edge where
schools of fish typically hang out. Most compelling was how the fisherman
propelled his craft.
A tow line attached to the tube
led to the bust of another man swimming free hand along the jagged reef. That
wasn’t done for show either. The man in the water was pulling the other
fisherman around in an inner tube making the swimmer appear like a slave in
former times. Actually, slaves often times did the rowing when winds weren’t
sufficient for sailing. This picture definitely sparks conversation between
friends. The Mediterranean is noted for its deadly
species of Man-O-War jellyfishes and sharp corals. Walking along the beach, we
picked up some sea shells as well as small pieces of fossilized sand before
heading to Caesarea.
Caesarea is every bit as
spectacular as the former Decapolis cities we
have already visited. A large portion of the city includes some impressive
Byzantine ruins as well as a Crusader fortress. Its beginnings date back to the
Persian era (586-332 BC). A Phoenician settlement was first built here where
the ground water level was high. The settlement flourished during the
Hellenistic period (332-37 BC) and was first mentioned in Zenon papyri dated
from 259 BC and known at the time as Straton’s
Tower.
In 103 BC, Straton’s Tower was
conquered by Alexander Jannaeus, annexed by the Hasmonean kingdom and then torn
away after the Roman conquest. Herod the Great (37-4 BC) was awarded the
seaside village which he quickly turned into a major port city calling it Caesarea in honor of his patron, Octavian Agustus Caesar.
This impressive city was also mentioned in the writings of Josephus.
“And he chose on the coast one forsaken town by the name of Straton’s
Tower… which, thanks to its favorable location was suitable for carrying out
his ambitious plans. He rebuilt it entirely of white stone and adorned it with
a royal palace of unique splendor, displaying… the brilliance of his mind.”
Flavius Josephus – The Wars of the Jews
Taking twelve years to build, the
city was engineered to include residential quarters, markets, a Temple, theatre and amphitheatre
all accessible by a network of crisscrossing roads. Caesarea became a booming
metropolis center and was designated the headquarters for Roman Government in Israel in 6 BC, later named Palestine by the Romans. Both Jews and
Gentiles inhabited Caesarea but rising
conflicts between them led to the Jewish revolt in 66 AD. Caesarea
became a base for the Roman legions sent to quell the rising tide of violence
between Jews and Romans and it was here that the Commanding General of the
Roman armies, Vespasian, was declared Caesar during the Great Revolt. The city
received “colony” status after Jerusalem’s
destruction making it the most important city in Israel
(Palestine).
Scholars believe that being the center of the Bar Kochva revolt; this is the
likely place where the Jewish leaders headed by Rabbi Akiva were tortured to
death.
The annuls of history record that
pagans, Samaritans, Jews and Christians all lived here during the 3rd
and 4th centuries AD. Among them were noted persons like Rabbi
Abbahu and early church leaders like Auregines and Eusebius. During the
Byzantine period the city grew in size extending some 400 acres. Near the end
of the 6th century AD, a perimeter wall was constructed making it
the largest fortified city in the country.
After the Arab conquest in 640
AD, the citizens of Caesarea left town
reducing its former political and economic status. Its former glory was of no
interest to the Muslims now occupying the land. The city did not recover economically
until the 9th century AD when the sea-trades aided a renewed wealth
here and with other coastal cities along the Mediterranean coastline.
Then on May 17, 1101 AD, the city
was conquered by the Crusaders and ruled by the Knights of Garnier. King Louis
IX of France
re-fortified the city but was later overcome in 1265 AD by the Mamelukes led by
Baybars. Destroyed and then abandoned, it was left desolate until the 19th
century AD when the Ottoman Empire settled
Bosnian refugees there. The destroyed Crusader fortress was renovated and
became the administrative center with new homes built on the ruins.
Now much of the ancient city has
been preserved for National Park status and is a big WOW on my list of “must see’s” while in Israel. Upon
entering the park, one is immediately drawn to the large theatre standing
proudly against the backdrop of a beautiful blue-green Mediterranean seascape.
Approaching the entrance to the mammoth size complex, you are treated to a
statue garden (statuary) depicting a variety of broken Roman images; a sandaled
foot as large as a couch, a headless statue of Caesar in a robe and headless
deities without loin cloths about the torso were among the most impressive
pieces. I photographed Renée standing next to one of the naked statues. Many
such ornamental figures adorned colonnaded avenues throughout the Greek and
Roman periods.
We entered the massive theatre
complex built to hold approximately 4000 spectators. Its renovation and
restoration makes it the best preserved Roman theatre in Israel. I thought
what a great place to hold an evening concert as the sun set over the Mediterranean’s western horizon. From there we ventured
toward the beach where the ruins of Herod’s palace lie. Along the path,
visitors are treated to a garden of antiquities displaying fragmented columns,
capitols, statues of beasts and a number of empty sarcophaguses (coffin tombs).
In this garden I noted one sarcophagus was most probably built for a well to do
person of stature because of its ornate design while another sitting beside it was
obviously meant for someone of less nobility by its very plain appearance.
Much of the hewn limestone used
to build this city was later scavenged for use as building material for the
development of surrounding communities just south of the ancient city after Rome’s demise. Jetting
out into the sea upon one of three sandstone promontories was Herod’s palace
and the Roman Praetorium. Still visible is the floor of the upper palace and
its foundation as well as a large pool directly in front of the palace which was
part of the lower palace structure. On this site a stone with the inscription
indicating Pontius Pilatus was discovered. Remember that Pontius Pilatus was
the Roman prefect that presided over Jesus trial (Matt. 27:11-26). We then went
down to the beach adjacent to Herod’s palace to dig for treasures. The eroded
beach provides an abundance of broken ceramic shards layered in between exposed
seashell beds. I was fortunate to find my most impressive pieces here including
two fragments of ornate handles belonging to a jar or vase.
We then ventured to the Herodian
amphitheatre also facing the sea. This U-shaped complex built by Herod had the
obvious function for games of sport between gladiators. It is complete with
hundreds of seats for spectators paying to see chariot races and other Roman style
entertainment of the day. The arena is 250 meters X 50 meters and at one time
had twelve rows of seating able to accommodate upwards of 10,000 spectators.
Two rows of columns are seen at the eastern end of the arena adding to its
allure. Structures appearing to have once been used as stables are also seen in
this complex. Though not the only amphitheatre in Caesarea’s
confines, this would have been among a number of likely places where Christians
were forced to fight wild beasts to the amusement of Roman spectators during
the Christian persecutions. Our Bibles tell us that Caesarea
played prominently in the Acts of the Apostles.
Acts 10:1-6 “There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called
the Italian band, a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house,
which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always. He saw in a
vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to
him, and saying unto him, “Cornelius.” And when he looked on him, he was
afraid, and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said unto him, “Thy prayers and
thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. And now send men to Joppa,
and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter: He lodges with one Simon a
tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou ought to
do.”
So while the men were on their
way to Joppa, Peter had a vision that basically ushered in salvation to the
gentiles with the angel’s proclamation, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider
unclean.” Upon arriving at Caesarea to
the house of the Roman centurion, Cornelius; Peter begins to preach the
salvation of Christ crucified to gentiles beginning with the words, “I
most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality.”
As Peter preached the testimony and witness of Christ Jesus, the Holy Spirit
fell upon all those hearing his words, even speaking in tongues and afterward,
Peter, remembering how the Lord used to say, “John baptized
with water but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit,” ordered them
all to be baptized in the name of Christ Jesus. Word of this news spread
quickly throughout all the regions of Samaria,
Judea and Galilee. Those of us who are of
gentile origin have been given access to the same promises God gave to Israel by way
of a better covenant through the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus. This
was the first recorded gentile conversion to Christianity.
Our time was short in Caesarea on this tour but I got to see much more of the
ancient city on my 2006 tour. Behind the amphitheatre was large public
bathhouse so common in typical Roman cities. At the northeastern end of the
amphitheatre a number of dwelling structures are seen with beautiful mosaic tile
floors depicting various cultural themes. Among the structures were chambered
vaults designed to serve as warehouses and one such vaulted chamber was used as
a mythraeum; meaning “sanctuary of the god Mithras.”
Across a roadway that cuts
through the park leading to a restaurant I saw the largest display of anchors yet
and next to that were the ruins of a temple platform built by Herod to give
homage to Roma and Augustus. Later, a Byzantine church was erected on the
platform which was then converted to a mosque during the Arab period and later
transformed into a cathedral by the Crusaders.
The above cathedral was adjacent
to the medieval city fortress built by the Crusaders that appears to be in
remarkable condition. The Arab city walls that fortified Caesarea
during the 9th century AD was later incorporated by King Louis IX in
constructing a massive fort complete with sloping walls and a dry moat 9 meters
deep. The massive wall structure is 900 meters long and 13 meters high. In
addition to several secret entrances (posterns), access to the city fortress
was made possible through three formidable gates located to the east, north and
south ends.
At the northwestern end of the
city’s walled environs are the ruins of a Byzantine synagogue. Another beautiful
mosaic floor was uncovered here which included broken fragments of a “grille”
listing the 24 priestly courses. Archeologists believe this to have been the
Jewish quarter throughout the city’s period of existence. Nearby are the
remnant ruins of the Roman wall that fortified the city during its period of
prominence. Excavations have uncovered a rectangular tower and a round towered
gate. Through it runs a paved street under which a sewer system flowed.
Archeologists believe that this structure was probably built on top of what
once was Straton’s Tower.
The entire city makes for awesome
photo shoots and can take a whole day to view everything. There is much more to
see a short distance away but this was all that time allowed on my 2006 tour. I
wished I could have shown Renée more of Caesarea this time around as it remains
one of the best archeological sites in Israel depicting life from the
Roman period to the Crusades. So much history took place here and it remains a
classic destination for anyone wishing to visit. Nearby, the richest plots of
real-estate that dot this coastline provide sanctuary and escape from public
life for dignitaries and other international people of importance and famous
stature. Of course there is also a splendid golf course nearby that caters to
the lifestyles of the rich and famous.
Arriving
Jerusalem!
We left Caesarea to make our last
leg toward Jerusalem.
Exhausted and tired from the many days of hiking ancient ruins, most of the
group napped after a quick bathroom and coffee break. It was getting dark on
our approach to the ancient “City of Prophets” so we
didn’t get to see much this night. After a couple hours we pulled up in front
of the Olive Tree Hotel and were glad to disembark, stretching our legs, arms
and backs. While waiting for our luggage to be off-loaded I grabbed Renée and walked
her over to a cute sign that hangs outside the hotel near the entrance. It was
a weather station made of olive wood with a carved olive hanging from a short
post. Behind the hanging olive, the sign reads…
| Condition |
Forecast |
| Olive is wet |
Rain |
| Olive is dry |
Not raining |
| Shadow on ground |
Sunny |
| White on top |
Snowing |
| Can’t see olive |
Foggy |
| Swinging
olive |
Windy |
| Olive bouncing |
Earthquake |
| Olive gone |
Tornado |
We grabbed our luggage and room
passes after a complimentary beverage and went to freshen up before dinner.
Renée and I spent the rest of the evening just relaxing with our feet up
watching TV before retiring that evening. It seemed like we had been there a month
with all the sites we toured but less than two weeks time had passed reminding
me that the end of our pilgrimage was drawing near. As I rested, I thought
about how fortunate I was to be part of so great a promise and thankful that a
Roman centurion’s faith in GOD became the earmark for my own salvation.
1 Corinthians 12:13 “For
by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or
Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one
Spirit.”
Galatians 3:28 “There
is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male
nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”
END
Part Six
With all Sincerity and love for the truth and my scattered
brethren abroad,
Nicholas A. Stivers – a God-fearing disciple, scribe and
messenger
http://nicholas-scrolls.com
and http://cephasministry.com