Day 4 - May 18, 2013 - Caesarea

Exciting day to Caesarea, Magido, Sepphoris, Nazareth, and Mount Precipice and just when I did not think yesterday could be topped.  Full day.

Caesarea - beautiful city on the Mediterranean Sea.  Built by Herod the Great in 4 BC as a place for Roman soldiers to reside in Israel.  An engineering marvel.  Jesus never journeyed through here because it was considered an unclean city.  However Peter and Paul both came through here.  I realized something today in that ths was the site of a different Upper Room - for Gentiles.  Through a different series of 3s, Peter was called to this city and even though he dud not want to go, he did, and preached to the Gentile family and friends of Cornelius.  A good lesson on obedience and God can use it to change the world.  The theatre and chariot race track were amazing.

Megiddo - Another Tel, but this one was 25 DIFFERENT civilizations.  It was in a strategic location and also had water.  It was a military outpost from 2000 BC.  Ahab had a stable of 2000 horses here.  This is also noted as the place for Armageddon.

Sepphoris - Or Zippori, was not a Tel but a city dating back before Christ and the home of Mary's parents.  It is also believed that Joseph worked there since jobs were probably scare in Nazareth.  It is not a Tel because the original city was found and a very affluent city it was.  Marble roads and tile floors.  I'm not talking 10" square tiles but pieces 1/2 inch or less.  Incredibly beautiful.

Nazareth - church of Annuciation, supposedly where an angel appeared before Mary.  A very unexpected and emotional experience.  We saw Mary's original house and while make our way to he new an beautiful contemporary church Ava Maria was being sung in the background. We got there in time to see a Nazareth wedding.  A beautiful church and with portraits/art of Mary from every country.

Mount Precipice -the place where the Nazarethans were going to throw Jesus off a cliff.  A very high,  windy and scenic spot.  It was a little ironic that there were young men parked in the parking lot, drinking beer and about to become obnoxious.  It reminded me of what others said about Christ - and that "nothing good came out of Nazareth ". I did experience Havla and and iced coffee from a Nazarethan wearing a Hawaii hat while there.

Another awesome day and a great day of breathing in.

 Acts 10:36 You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. 

Pictures - Day 4