Galilee: Days 1-2

These are the first few days of my Galilee trip. Although we have not gotten to Galilee yet, we have visited some fantastic sites including Aphek/Antipatris, Caesarea, Mt Carmel, Megiddo, the Harod Spring, Jezreel, and Nazareth.

Caesarea is amazing. Here we are standing in front of a Roman theater. Although theater had been reconstructed, goes it is in the original location. This theater was where Herod Agrippa I was struck down by God in Acts 12. Josephus also records the event, supporting it's truth. Paul was also brought before Felix at Caesarea, testimony to Felix and Festus, great grandchildren of Herod the Great, Herod Agrippa II and Bernice.

Mt Carmel is the most famous location of the same showdown between Elijah and the prophets of Baal in I Kings 18. The story famously that Elijah challenged the 450 prophets, and in their God Baal. They each set up an altar to their god. The prophets of Baal did all they could to get Baal's attention, to the point of, where he gave his cutting themselves. When Baal did not and before the answer, Elijah mocked them. Then, Elijah told the people to pour four jars of water on the altar, three times, until the altar was

soaked in water. Then he prayed to God who sent down fire from heaven. Elijah then had the people slay the prophets of Baal, thus proving who was the one true God.

John and Zach

Sandy and I

Our final stop of the day 2 was Nazareth. Jesus grew up in Nazareth, and at the time it had a population of probably 300 people, today it is a large Arab Israeli city. There are two churches commemorating the life of Jesus here. The Greek Orthodox have a church over the town's spring, assuming Mary was drawing water from the spring when Gabriel came to her. The Catholic's church is where they believe Mary's home might have been. Of course it is unknown who is right, or both could be wrong, not sure it matters. Here I am, sitting in a gorgeous hotel, while Jesus lived and walked, probably right below its foundations. And later in his life, was rejected Luke 4, by his own people.

I guess this is supposed to be Mary's home.

The Catholic church of the Annunciation.

The Greek Church, that has no name?

Natural spring in Nazareth

Kimberly Glass and I, on a hill overlooking Nazareth