Israel 2015 Day 2

Israel 2015 Day 2 Wednesday May 27th We drove through the Plain of Sharon in route to Caesarea. The Sharon Plain is a region of central Israel’s coastal plain. The plain is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Mount Carmel to the north, the hills of Samaria to the east, and the modern day Tel Aviv metropolitan area to the south with the Yarkon River the southern geographical border.

Mentioned in the Bible, the plain was historically famous for being fertile, although it later became marshland, being reclaimed only in the early twentieth century by Zionist pioneers who populated the region with many settlements. The region has grown to become Israel’s most densely populated.

CAESAREA MARITIMA (Caesarea by the Sea)

Caesarea Maritima was located on the Mediterranean coast over a Hellenistic coastal town called Pyrgos Stratonos or Straton's Tower. The harbor was insufficient for deep water trading. Herod the Great completely rebuilt the city, created an artificial harbor and the area’s first deep water port in 22 B.C. It would remain the seat of the Roman government for over five hundred years. He named it Caesarea in honor of Augustus Caesar. Philip, one of the seven “deacons” in Jerusalem (Acts 6:5), was the first to preach in Caesarea. Peter came to Caesarea in response to a vision at Joppa and preached the gospel in Cornelius’s home. God struck down Herod Agrippa I in Caesarea for accepting the worship of others who called him a god and for persecuting the early church. Paul visited the city three times, and on the third occasion he was warned that if he went to Jerusalem, he would be captured by the Jews and delivered to the Gentiles. Paul spent two years in prison in Caesarea. He made his defense in three outstanding addresses before Felix and Festus (Roman governors or procurators) and before King Herod Agrippa II. Acts 10, Acts 23-26 This city is the location of the 1961 discovery of the Pilate Stone, the only archaeological item that mentions the Roman prefect Pontius Pilate, by whose order Jesus was crucified.

During the time of the British Mandate Baron Rothschild purchased the land around Caesarea for development. He stipulated in his will the establishment of a Foundation which transfers all profits from the development of modern Caesarea to the Foundation, which in turn contributes to organizations that advance higher education and culture across Israel.

The Roman Theater in Caesarea Maritima cannot be considered as a world heritage site because of renovation of the seats when it was originally excavated in the 1950’s.

Hippodrome was later used for gladiator and other blood sports.

Caesarea Maritima was the home of Roman Historian, Eusebius, who writes of the great theological library. It is believed to have containing more than 30,000 manuscripts.

Eusebius, Gregory Nazianzus, Basil the Great, Jerome and others came to study there.

The earliest Caesarea Christians met at City gates and there are remains of an octagonal Byzantium Christian Church in the area. There is much evidence of the Crusader efforts to defend the city against the Ottamans.

Acts 8:40 But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

Acts 10:1-2 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.

Acts 21:8 On the next day we departed and came to Caesarea, and we entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him.

Acts 24:1 [Paul Before Felix at Caesarea] And after five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and a spokesman, one Tertullus. They laid before the governor their case against Paul.

Acts 25:4 Festus replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea and that he himself intended to go there shortly.

Acts 25:13 [Paul Before Agrippa and Bernice] Now when some days had passed, Agrippa the king and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and greeted Festus.

Gentile Pentecost at Caesarea Maritima Acts 10:44-45 While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word.

And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles.

It is built as a typical Roman City With a north to south main street called The Cardo.

Luke was with Paul when he was imprisoned and this may be part of the time he uses to to interview witnesses and write his Gospel.

Harry’s lessons from Paul's defense to Agrippa at Caesarea Maritima as recorded in Acts  Always respectful, appealed to scripture and testimony  never decried status of prisoner  never argues that it was a different religion but a fulfillment of Judaism Background on Harod: The Idumaeans were a tribe who had been forced by the Nabatean Arabs westwards into southern Judea, where they had been forcibly converted to Judaism by the Hasmonean rulers of Palestine. For this reason Harod was technically Jewish but mistrusted by the people. His father, Antipater served as an adviser to Hyrcanus and gained the confidence of Pompey.

When Julius Caesar was besieged in Alexandria in 48 BC it was Antipater who persuaded the Jews to aid Caesar. Harod skillfully shifted his allegiance from Pompey to Caesar to Antony to Octavian (Augustus). Herod was appointed king of Judea by the Romans in 40 BC, and was supported by Roman soldiers in his fight to gain control of Judea in 37BC. Rome would control the area until the Byzantium Empire emerged in vacuum of the Roman Empire.

Ancient Caesarea Maritima Deep Harbor

Remaining Excavation of Caesarea Maritima

Mt Carmel: And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping

between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word. 1 Kings 18:21 Carmel: Carm: Vineyard (of) El: God and Mukhraka is an arab word for "fire" in reference to Elijah's challenge and defeat of the prophets of ba'el. It was not unususal for the prophets of Ba’al to “fake” fires but Elijah out smarted them by having the alters built on a neutral spot. Elijah takes 12 stones to build his alter in 1 Kings 18:31 refusing to acknowledge the schism between the Northern and Southern kingdoms. Mark brought up an interesting point. The land had been in a drought for three years. Imagine what the people thought when Elijah called for the alter to be doused with water? (1 Kings 18:20) In ancient times it was very difficult to transverse from Caesarea Maritima; easier approach from Jezreel Valley; difficult terrain has actually preserved it in what is believed to be a very similar state as in the days of Elijah. Mt. Carmel is now a national park which preserves the natural trees and vegetation as well as thousands of varieties of wild flowers. Group of Carmelite Monks still maintain the monetary on their namesake mountain and have resided there since the crusade era.

Battle in the Jezreel Valley (Judges 4-5)

Israelites forces lead by Deborah and Barak assemble near Mt. Tabor. Canaanite forces assemble near Megiddo from many north cities, commanded by Sisera. Israelites take the high ground position on Mt Tabor, giving them advantage.

Canaanites rush to crush the Israelites below the Tabor, but their chariots cannot climb the high mountain. Israelites wait for rainy day, then attack from Mount Tabor. The Canaanite forces break in panic; their chariots stuck in the mud. The Kishon river blocks them from retreating south, they go west along the Kishon. The Israelites wipe them out, reaching as far as Mt Carmel. Sisera runs away, but is killed in Yael's tent on his way to the east.

God is not "an option" but the only answer. When the Gospel has been preached two beasts will rise up… one political and one religious. The final battle will happen in this same valley.

Sepphoris / Zippori: The Ornament of Galilee

Sepphoris, or Zippori, is located in the lower Galilee, halfway between the Mediterranean Sea and the Sea of Galilee. The historian Josephus described it as “the ornament of all Galilee” and it was the administrative capital of the Galilee in the 1st century.

It features an impressive archeology site dating back to the Hasmoneans who settled there in the 2nd century BC, as well as subsequent Byzantine, Arab and Crusader ruins. The name comes from the Hebrew word tsipor which means “bird,” presumably for the birds-eye view afforded from its hill.

While Sepphoris is not mentioned in the New Testament, the city was under construction during the lifetime of Jesus. Some scholars speculate that Joseph may have worked as a tekton (or “builder”) in the construction of Sepphoris.

Oral tradition sites Sepphoris as the hometown of Mary’s parents, Anna and Joachim.

Sepphoris is most famous for its Byzantine mosaics, including a woman’s face known as the ‘Mona Lisa of the Galilee’ and a wellpreserved zodiac featuring Greek deities on the synagogue floor.

Mosaics...The smaller the pieces the more expensive Josephus called Sepphoris the largest city in Galilee and an exceptionally strong fortress at the time of the First Revolt in 66 A.D. The people of Sepphoris supported Vespasian in the Jewish Revolt, surrendering to the Romans and thus preventing the destruction of the city.

The Roman theater sits on the northern slope of the hill, and can seat 4500. Most of it is carved into the hillside, but some parts are supported by separate stone pillars. The Dionysus Villa containing one of the most famous mosaics in all of Israel. It was built around the year 200 A.D., and destroyed in the earthquake in 363 A.D. The mosaic is devoted to Dionysus, god of wine, and of socializing. While there is obviously a strong pagan influence the Sanhedrin relocated here after the destruction of Israel.

The inhabitants of Sepphoris did not join the Great Jewish Revolt against Roman rule of 66 CE. Just prior to the Bar Kokhba revolt, the city's name was changed to Diocaesarea in Hadrian's time, in

honor of Zeus and the Roman emperor. Following the revolt in 132–135, many Jewish refugees from devastated Judea settled there, turning it into a center of Jewish religious and spiritual life. Rabbi Yehuda Hanasi, one of the compilers of the Mishnah, a commentary on the Torah, moved to Sepphoris, along with the Sanhedrin, the highest Jewish religious court. Before moving to Tiberias by 150, some Jewish academies of learning, yeshivot, were also based there. Sepphoris was also a center of Jewish life in the 2nd century. It is believed to be the birthplace of the Mishnah, the first written codification of Jewish oral law.

Diocaesarea was destroyed by the Galilee earthquake of 363, but rebuilt soon afterwards.

During the Great Revolt 70ad the residents of Zippori signed a peace treaty with the Romans.

Harry joked about a “gentle zephyr” @ Zippori. He noted that this was the traditional home of Mary’s parents and that Jesus was raised four miles away in Nazareth. As a techno/carpenter he might have worked in Zippori with Joseph or at least visited when they came to see Mary’s parents.

The Greco Roman influence might be where Jesus became familiar with the word hypocrite from ὑποκρίτης (hypokritēs) indicating an actor or someone playing a part.

Luke 2:52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.

Nazareth, a small village on a ridge overlooking the Jezreel Valley, is never mentioned in the Old T estament. The name comes from the Hebrew word for branch or shoot. Nazareth became important historically because it was the “hometown” of Jesus.

Today, Nazareth is the capital and largest city in the North District of Israel. It also serves as an Arab capital for Israel’ s Arab citizens who make up the vast majority of the population there.

Nazareth: Mary's Well is located in the center of the downtown Nazareth, on the main road. The site is actually a modern water trough, which was built over the ancient trough, which was used by the women and animals as drinking water. The well gets its water by pipes from a natural spring about 200M north of the well, and was used throughout the ages. According to the tradition, this was the place where Virgin Mary, Mother of Jesus, was announced by the angel Gabriel that she will have a son of God. Mount Precipice: The Leaping Mountain.

Rises above the southern part of the Nazareth.

Jesus Rejected at Nazareth when he reads from Isaiah 20:1-2.

16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. 17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.” 20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” 22 And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, “Is not this Joseph's son?” 28 When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. 29 And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff. 30 But passing through their midst, he went away.~ Luke 4:16-22, 2830.

View of Mount Tabor & Jezreel Valley from Mt. Precipice: