Our travelers boarded the buses (there are three of them) and we had a choice of which sites we wanted to see.  That led us in two different directions.

Bus # 3 headed to Rosh Hanikra Grottos and started off singing click to watch  video below

https://www.facebook.com/362229237625582/videos/377360222779150/

The first stop for bus #3 was Rosh Hanikra, an incredible geological creation at the farthest point north on  Israel’s Mediterranean Coastline at the border with Lebanon. A two-minute cable car ride, boasting as one of the steepest in the world, brought us to the grottoes.

(Below) THESE LINES FORMED ALL OVER ISRAEL – THE LINE FOR THE RESTROOM!

Below:  We took steps down into this grotto.  Click on the arrow to hear the sound of the water.

Acre (Akko) is an ancient city that flourished as a center for both Christian and Jewish communities down through the millennia. This historic walled port-city has been continuously inhabited for 4,000 years. The remains of the Crusader town are amazing. A military-monastic order, serving the Pope, aided European people to visit the land of Israel. During the third crusade they made their headquarters in Akko. During the British mandate over Palestine, it was used as the main prison for northern Israel. Hundreds of members of the Jewish underground army were imprisoned by the British because of their struggle for their right to establish a homeland for the Jews.

Below:  This drawing shows how this ancient city was discovered when someone was remodeling his home on the level above the discovery.  This was amazing.to see. 

Buses 2 & 3 headed for Bet Shean- The city was first settled in the 6^th century BC.   By the 1^st century AD, it was founded and rebuilt by the Romans as one of the ten Decapolis cities. It is one of the oldest cities in Israel — once home to 30,000-40,000 Roman residents. The Roman theater was excavated in 1963 and is the best preserved in all of Israel. It was built to seat 8,000. The ancient central street is lined by well-preserved colonnades. Here the Philistines marking Saul’s defeat, fastened the headless and stripped bodies of Saul and his two sons on the city wall.  Then this happened:  Samuel 31:11-When the people of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul,  all their valiant men marched through the night to Bet Shean. They took down the bodies of Saul and his sons from the wall of Beth Shan and went to Jabesh, where they burned them.  Then they took their bones and buried them under a tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and they fasted seven days.

Below:  This is one of the main roads into Bet Shean. The structure of the road reveals the wealth and economic success of the city. Over 40,000 lived here in the 6th century BC. Tiles lined the colonnaded streets in such a way that water ran off to the sides to an underground drainage system.

Below:  During the Byzantine period (330  -1453 AD), Bet Shean became a Christian community. In 749 AD, an earthquake occurred and destroyed the city killing all the inhabitants.  This shows a column that collapsed.

Video clip below is an amphitheater that seated 7,000 people. It’s the best preserved theater discovered in Israel.

  Below:  We convinced two of our fellow travelers to pose and demonstrate public restrooms from that day. Note they are pretending to be reading. (smile)

Below: In the background, notice the height of the tell/hill.  Extensive excavating exposed all of the city below.

Below: A roofed passage was built along the side of the road where mosaic tiles covered the floors. Elegant stores lined the way.

Gideon Spring- Located at the base of Mt. Gilboa is a spring coming out from the limestone mountain. Three thousand years ago in this very spot, God whittled down an army of twenty-two thousand to the 300, who made up Gideon’s army. God did this so that Israel may not boast against him that her own strength had saved her, In Judges 7, the LORD said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands.”

VIDEO:  Dave McDaniel, director of Men of Issachar shared a powerful word.

VIDEO: Women from Australia shared with us.

Prayer points

• We pray for strength and endurance as the journey continues.
• We pray for memories to be made that will last a lifetime!
• We pray that the Bible comes alive for them as they see the signs and hear what took place in the history of Israel.

CONTINUE TO DAY 5- ISRAEL TOUR