Faith Bible Church

Cedar Rapids, IA

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Day 19

Day 19. Headed west from the Sea of Galilee to Caesarea Maritime: Zippori, Mount Carmel, Caesarea Maritime! This is our last guided excursion day in Israel. Tomorrow we rest here in Jerusalem. Saturday morning we leave for Jordan.

Mosaic floor at Zippori (Jewish city that Pompi sets fire). Zippori would have been founded roughly around 200 BC, in the inter-testimonial period. Herod, early in his reign, destroyed Zippori because Zippori joined in the rebellion. Herod Antipas rebuilds this city. He rebuilt the city after the footprint of Rome. Thus, he rebuilt it with Greek and Israelite influences. When the great rebellion happened in 66 AD, this city did not participate. Thus this city was not destroyed. Then the Jews here discussed how do we go forward. Jewish scholars gathered here in Zippori and started writing down the Mishna (i.e., Jewish oral law). This mosaic is from the third century AD. This house would have been used for entertaining. This mosaic has over 1.5 million stones. The woman’s face has over 500 stones. See less
Beth Netofa Valley – all can be used for agriculture
Cana where Jesus turned the water into wine – John 2
This saddle in the ridge is a route between Nazareth (just over the hill). Jesus and Joseph could have very well traveled through that saddle to here at Zippori to work.
If Jesus came with Joseph to help build in Zippori, what is Jesus experiencing here? For example, Jesus quotes Aesop’s fables in his teaching. He uses agrarian imagery, shepherd imagery, political remarks. For example, in Luke 14:25-29. Jesus makes a political remark. Herod Antipas has a half built tower in Tiberias when Jesus said this. Then in Luke 14:31 he remarks again against Herod Antipas who lost greatly in battle against the Naobotean King who was mad because Herod An… See more
Mosaic floor of 5th century AD synagogue at Zippori.
Mosaic floor of 5th century AD synagogue at Zippori.
Barb on the Roman road at Zippori
The Nile Mosaic in the palace at Zippori
Centaur mosaic (half man and half horse) in the palace at Zippori
Amazons hunting mosaic in the palace at Zippori
Amazons participating in festivities in the palace at Zippori
Looking down on the Jezreel Valley from the top peak of Mt Carmel. This is the territory of Baal. Here we read Psalm 29. God is over creation and greater than Baal. Then we read 1 Kings 17-18 from up here on top of Mt Carmel. We read 1 Kings 18:17-40. We are at the place where Elijah called down fire from the Lord to consume the water soaked burnt offering. Then we read 1 Kings 19. Elijah runs and leaves this area. He runs down through Beersheba. He collapses. God tells him t… See more
Looking east to Mt Tabor from Mt Carmel
Stopped at a Druze restaurant (i.e., Mitzpe Carmel Restaurant) for their falafel buffet!
The fixings for falafel
The Judaean port of Caesarea had no reliable
source of fresh water when construction on the city began around 22 BC. King Herod
commissioned a raised aqueduct to deliver water from the springs near Shuni, 16 kilometres north-east of Caesarea Maritime. Pictured is an overgrown section of the aqueduct.
Herod the Great’s aqueduct on the beach of Caesarea, north of the ancient city.
Herod the Great’s aqueduct on the beach of Caesarea, north of the ancient city.
The aqueduct goes all the way to the Mt Carmel ridge
Barb under one of the aqueduct supports
Edge of Herod the Great’s theater at Caesarea Maritime
Herod the Great’s lower palace with a swimming pool at Caesarea Maritime. The palace would have been two stories tall. The rectangle was his freshwater pool!
Herod the Great built a huge harbor that extended three times past the current harbor. His engineers developed a way to lay down wood forms and added concrete and ash that would solidify under water. Then they removed the forms. The harbor opened to the north to avoid silting in and to allow the boats to enter safely without the west wind forcing them into the harbor too quickly.
Standing in the hippodrome at Caesarea Maritime. This is where the chariot races took place!!

Here we read Acts 1:8. What does the uttermost parts mean in this context? Caesarea Maritime is the doorstep into the uttermost parts of the earth. It looks and acts like Rome. The book of Acts follows what happens in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and then beyond. Then we went to Acts 10. Cornelius lives here at Caesarea. Peter shows up in Cornelius’ house and goes back and talks about the history of his people. Then the Holy Spirit falls. How could the Holy Spirit fall on Gentiles? Paul comes in and out of the harbor here at Caesarea. In Acts 24 Felix is governor and Paul comes ashore. Paul has been collecting money for the Jerusalem church. The Roman’s save Paul and they bring him here to Caesarea. Felix holds Paul hoping he will pay him a bribe. Felix is replaced. The new governor deals with a new friction between Jews and Rome. When Paul is here at Caesarea there is such friction between Jews and Rome they have a hard time keeping things peaceful. Acts 25 – Paul, while in Caesarea, says, “I appeal to Caesar.” He is put on a boat right here at Caesarea. Paul wrote a couple of his letters right here in the Praetorian where we are sitting.

We concluded with reading Jeremiah 9:23-24 and were challenged to think about how we are going to translate what we have seen and heard to our people to whom we serve.