The Holy Land: Megiddo, Israel

"Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon." 

Revelation 16:16

The middle school girl in me comes out when I hear the word "Armageddon." Instantly, I picture the 1998 tear-jerker movie starring the dreamy Ben Affleck alongside Bruce Willis who voluntarily pays the ultimate sacrifice to save Earth from a cataclysmic asteroid. Even hearing the movie's theme song by Aerosmith, "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing," still gets me choked up to this day! Cheesy, I know. However, the idea of the world ending isn't a Hollywood concept.

Ever since I studied the book of Daniel in college, I've been fascinated by eschatology. This fancy word simply means the study of the end of times. {Homework- Use eschatology in a sentence this week!} I was so excited to be able to visit the place the Bible says the final battle between good and evil will take place. Even if you have zero knowledge of the Bible, I guarantee you're familiar with the term Armageddon. 

 If you guessed that Megiddo is the Hebrew word for Armageddon, you win a gold star! This ancient city has seen the rise and fall of kingdom upon kingdom. In fact, archaeologists have even found evidence of human habitation as far back as the Neolithic period (7-8 century BC). What makes this area of approximately 48 acres so desirable for the more than 20 civilizations which have been uncovered?  I'm glad you asked. Two major factors contribute to why this land was sought after and battled for numerous times: fresh drinking water and fertile soil.

Rewind. Let's figure out where exactly this site is located...

In addition to its rich natural resources, Megiddo was also located on a major international trade route between Egypt and Mesopotamia. You can find it mentioned in the Old Testament books: Joshua, Judges, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles and Zechariah. It's kind of a big deal, not to mention its Revelation reference (cited above) specifically stating Megiddo is where it's all going to go down eventually.

So, enough background info! Here are some pictures of our adventures in Meggido:

The Jezreel  Valley.

The reservoir at the entrance to Tel Megiddo, from the Israelite period.

The temple area.

Temple area cont.

Where I imagine the final battle to take place.

Apparently Hubby didn't get the memo that we were supposed to be making our "It's the end of the world" face!

Surrounded by hundreds of acres of beautiful green fields.

Megiddo's gigantic water system developed by Israelite kings to prevent the need of leaving the city for water.

187 scary steps down, down, down.

70-meter long tunnel with a slight slope so the water would flow to the spot it was drawn.

77 steps up and out. The exit was concealed by a very large stone and camouflaged so enemies wouldn't notice it.

Hopefully you enjoyed virtually touring Megiddo with me! Like I said in my Jerusalem post, I strongly encourage you to plan a trip to Israel! I feel so blessed that we were able to spend a week in such a special place! 

Tschüss!

The Holy Land: Nazareth, Israel

In honor of Mother's Day, I felt like today would be a great day to (finally) blog about Nazareth! In case you haven't had your coffee today or perhaps the connection is unfamiliar to you, Nazareth is where Jesus's mom, Mary, grew up and first learned that she was going to be a mother... to the Son of God. No pressure, Mary.

"Don't be afraid, Mary," the angel told her, "for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!" Luke 1:30-33

If you read my post about Casaerea, you'll remember that I'm geographically challenged. A fact I am reminded of whenever I drive somewhere new! So, for a frame of reference, below is a map to see exactly where Nazareth is located.

Like most famous Biblical sites, there is a church located on top of the traditional site of where the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and gave her the life-changing news. Fun Fact: The Basilica of Annunciation is the largest Christian sanctuary in the Middle East. But really, it's pretty huge. In fact, it's built on top of a Byzantine era church so that you can see and appreciate its ruins.

 

The courtyard displayed dozens of beautiful mosaics honoring the virgin Mary donated by various countries.

My personal favorite, Slovakia.

The entrance to the Basilica of Annunciation.

 Lower Church

In the Lower Church, you can see the ruins of the Byzantine church as well as the grotto Gabriel appeared to Mary (not to mention tour groups with awesome matching hats).

 This is the grotto of where Mary encountered the angel Gabriel. I am always so impressed by her courage  when I read her response in Luke 1:38- "Mary responded, "I am the Lord's servant. May everything you have said about me come true."

Upper Church

 Although we are not Catholic, it was still pretty neat to watch and listen (in English!!) to part of a mass.

 St. Joseph's Church

 A few hundred feet away from the Basilica, is St. Joseph's Church honoring Jesus's earthly father. Thankfully we were with a pro, aka Rebecca, who knew all the sights to see.

 Below the church... What is thought to be the home of Joseph, Mary & Jesus.

 

Although it was brief, our time in Nazareth was incredible! I have a new appreciation for Mary and Joseph and their immense courage and faith. Oh and sidenote, let's just talk about how that ride on a donkey (while 9 months pregnant!!) to Bethlehem was not a flat, easy, safe route by any means! A mother's love is an incredible thing, indeed. Happy Mother's Day to all you Moms out there; especially mine!

 Tschüss!

The Holy Land: Caesarea, Israel

To be honest, I had never even heard of Caesarea prior to this adventure in March. So if you're like me and history/geography aren't your major strengths, then don't worry I'll fill in the gaps! Thanks to the recommendation from our wonderful friend/tour guide/local/co-worker, Rebecca, we would never have even known about this amazing, ancient port town. Thankfully we had a gorgeous day to take in the sights!

Because I am a visual learner and geographically challenged (Seriously. I get lost WITH a GPS. Pathetic, I know...), I figure the best place to start is looking at a map to get an idea where this so-called Caesarea place is. I've even put it in red so you can easily find it. Just kidding I stole this from the Internet. :)                                 

First stop... The High-Level Aqueduct 

Built by Herod the Great in 9 BC and named in honor of Roman Emperor, Caesar Augustus, the bustling port city of Caesarea had everything going for it...except one little thing needed for basic survival. Water! Since the closest fresh water spring was 8km away (translation for my American readers: about 5 miles), Herod erected a high-level aqueduct to deliver fresh drinking water. Only three years after its foundation, Caesarea became the Roman headquarters of Palestine.

I could have easily spent the rest of the day at the beach enjoying two things I've missed living in Germany: the oceans (how beautiful is the Med?? Wow.) and vitamin D. Instead of being beach bums, we maximized our time and kept exploring!


Second stop... The "Bird Mosaic" Mansion

Once again, we would have never known about this little gem off the beaten path if it weren't for Rebecca. As I walked across this extremely old and detailed piece of art, I couldn't help but think about how if this mosaic floor would have been discovered in Europe or America there would have A. been a fee to view it and B. walking on it would be completely out of the question! However, "It's Israel" was a common expression we heard which kind of means as I understand it "Hakuna Matata." Yes, I use Disney in my everyday language, don't you? But really, the Israeli culture is m-u-c-h more laid back than our western mentality. Kind of refreshing!

The mosaic has 120 total medallions made up of 10 different bird species. Bordering the birds are several different types of animals and fruit trees. "They" believe a wealthy family must have lived here around the 6th century. The mosaic was discovered in 1955 and then re-discovered in 2005. Is re-discovered a real word?

Third stop... Old Town Caesarea

For only $12 you can enter the Old City portion of Caesarea. As soon as you enter, you walk across a bridge above the 9 meter (30 feet!) deep moat which surrounds the medieval city. In addition to the moat, King Louis IX added the 900m long wall 13m high after all the former fortifications were destroyed.

The Eastern Gate.

 The Caesarea Port

Although much of the ancient port is now underwater, it does make a great spot for scuba diving. Perhaps I will get certified one day and come back? Yes, let's add that to the bucket list!

 Hello, marble octagon jacuzzi! As you may know, Roman baths were are kind of a big deal. They didn't play around when it came to: killing, bathing, entertainment. Who wouldn't want to take a hot bath after attending a race at the Hippodrome?

Ruins from the Old City

Roman goddesses?

The Hippodrome

 Can't you just picture the dust flying as chariots race down and around the track fighting to win or simply to stay alive?

Hubby overlooking the Promotory Palace.

Herodian Amphitheatre

I hope you learned something new about a place you may or may not have heard of!

Tschüss!