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8-Day Holy Land & Petra
Day 1: TEL AVIV.
Upon arrival, we will be met and transferred to our beautiful hotel in a
Tel Aviv suburb where the thrilling journey of following in the
footsteps of Jesus will begin. Dinner will be served at our hotel.
Weather permitting; we suggest a walk after dinner on the beach.
Day 2: THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA / ANCIENT
JOPPA / CAESAREA / MOUNT CARMEL / HAIFA / PLAIN OF ARMAGEDDON /TIBERIAS.
After a good nights rest and a hearty breakfast we will begin the
thrilling journey of following in the footsteps of Jesus. Ancient Joppa
on the Sea is where Jonah set sail, and where Peter raised Dorcas from
the dead. Joppa was the home of Simon the Tanner. At Caesarea by the
sea we'll visit the Crusader's Castle, the Roman Amphitheater and water
duct, and the port from which the Apostle Paul sailed to Rome. We will
continue northward along the Mediterranean coast to Mount Carmel where
Elijah defeated the prophets of Baal by the Brook Kishon. After Haifa
we'll view Megiddo and the Plain of Armageddon, Jezreel and Esdraelon.
Visit Nazareth and Cana. Eastward we will arrive in Tiberias for dinner
and overnight at our hotel and get our first glimpse of the beautiful
Sea of Galilee.
Day 3: TIBERIAS / THE SEA OF GALILEE /
CAPERNAUM / MOUNT OF BEATITUDES / TABGHA / CAESAREA PHILIPPI / MT.
HERMON / GOLAN HEIGHTS / THE JORDAN RIVER.
This day will be an exciting day in the Galilee area. After a delicious
breakfast we will depart from the Roman hot springs resort city of
Tiberias via a boat ride across the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum (John
6:24) to visit the ancient ruins of this first century synagogue where
Jesus preached (Matthew 4:13-17). Then on to the Mt. of Beatitudes where
Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), and to Tabgha, the
chapel dedicated to the multiplication of the loaves and fishes (Mark
6:34-44). We will then proceed to Upper Galilee and the site of Peter's
Confession (Matthew 16:16) at Caesarea Philippi and to Mt. Hermon (Psalm
89:12), the probable site of the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-8) and
the present day Golan Heights where Israel, Lebanon and Syria come
together. We will follow the fresh mountain waters of Mt. Hermon to the
Sea of Galilee and to the outlet passage at the southern tip of the sea.
We will stop at the beautiful Pilgrims Park at the Jordan River. Return
to our hotel for overnight.
Day 4: TIBERIAS / MT. NEBO / PETRA.
Today we depart Tiberias via the Sheik Hussein Bridge and cross into
Jordan. We continue to Jerash, Mt. Nebo, and then on to Petra "The Rose
Red City - Half as Old as Time". Dinner and overnight at our hotel.
Day 5: PETRA / JERUSALEM.
This morning after breakfast, we visit Petra. This ancient Edomite and
Nabatean capital is an amazing city of prophecy. See this spectacular
"City of the Dead" with its famed gorge, ancient street, temples,
dwelling places and tombs carved from the solid rock. Arrive at El Ji
Post and continue the one-mile journey on horseback, or walk, passing
through the famous SIQ (natural gorge) and arrive at the "Treasury".
Visit the ancient theater. In the Nabatean Judgment Hall, Place Tombs,
famous Urn Temple and the Roman amphitheater. Those willing to climb
may view the monastery, Jebel Harun (Mountain of Aaron), supposed to be
the burial place of Aaron. Horseback journey back to El Ji Post.
Continue to Jerusalem via the Allenby Bridge. Dinner and overnight at
our hotel.
Day 6: MT. SCOPUS / THE MT. OF OLIVES /
GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE / ST. STEPHENS GATE / POOL OF BETHESDA / THE WAY OF
THE CROSS / THE OLD CITY/ GOLGOTHA / THE GARDEN TOMB.
After a good night of rest and a hearty breakfast, this exciting day
will begin with a drive to Mt. Scopus and the Mt. of Olives (Matthew
24:3) for a panoramic view of the Old City of Jerusalem (Mark 14:32-26)
and the Church of Agony where Jesus was betrayed by Judas (Matthew
26:36-57), we will proceed to St. Stephens Gate (Acts 7:51-60) from
whence we will visit the Five Porch Pool of Bethesda (John 5:1-16) and
the Church of Saint Anne. Then we will follow in the footsteps of Jesus
through the Old City to Pilate's Judgment Hall, the Chapel of the
Flagellation, the Ecce Homo Arch (John 19:13) where Jesus was tried
before Pilate (Mark 15:6). We then will traverse the Via Dolorosa to
Golgotha, the Place of the Skull (John 19:17), where they crucified our
Lord. Then on to a victory celebration at the Resurrection Tomb and
Garden (John 20:1-18).
Day 7: MASADA / BETHANY / JERICHO / OLD
JERICHO / THE MT. OF TEMPTATION / THE VILLAGE OF THE ESSENES / THE
QUMRAN CAVES / THE DEAD SEA.
This morning we drive via the Judean Desert to the Dead Sea, the lowest
point on earth. Visit the Dead Sea, drive through Jericho to Old
Jericho. A beautiful new road takes us south along the shores of the
Dead Sea to Masada, truly a remarkable piece of history. On the way we
view Ein Gedi, a green oasis in the middle of the desert. Then ascend to
Masada by cable car to visit the magnificent ruins of the fortress,
where from 70-73 A.D. the Jewish defenders made the last stand of the
Judean revolt against Rome, and where the remains of storehouses,
cisterns and a 6th century Byzantine church are still on view. Return
along the Dead Sea to Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were
discovered. Visit the remains of the Community Center of the Essenes and
the Caves of the Scrolls. We will continue on the Jericho Road viewing
the Inn of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) and the Judean wilderness.
Then we visit Bethany, the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus (John
11:1-46) en route to Jerusalem for dinner and overnight.
Day 8: THE NEW CITY / THE MODEL CITY /
BETHLEHEM / THE KIDRON VALLEY / THE HOUSE OF CAIPHAS / MT. ZION / THE
UPPER ROOM / THE WESTERN WALL / THE TEMPLE MOUNT.
We will begin the day with a trip to New Jerusalem to see Yad Vashem -
the immensely moving memorial to the six million martyrs of the
Holocaust - and enjoy a brief visit to the outdoor walking mall. Proceed
to view the Model City of Jerusalem which depicts in miniature the Holy
City as it appeared in the first century. Onward to Bethlehem to visit
the Church of the Nativity and the birthplace of Jesus, observing
Rachel's tomb, the Shepherd's Field (Luke 2:1-20) and the Field of Boaz
and Ruth (Ruth 1:16-17 and 4:13). The afternoon drive will take us
through the Kidron Valley to the Pool of Siloam. Viewing the House of
Caiphas, the High Priest, and the first century steps of stone that our
Lord climbed, we will continue to the Room of the Last Supper (Luke
22:14-20) on the summit of Mt. Zion where the tomb of King David is
memorialized. On to the Western Wall (or Wailing Wall) where the
faithful Jews cry their petitions to God and to the Dome of the Rock
which is built on the ancient site of Solomon's Temple (Genesis 22:9-14)
and over the Rock of Sacrifice where Abraham offered Isaac (Genesis 22)
and the ceremonial sacrifice of animals took place. |
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