Sunday, March 30, 2014: (Photos to follow)

 Well, today we reluctantly leave Tiberias heading to Jerusalem.  Our four days in Galilee where Jesus lived and had his ministry have been busy and blessed.  It is surreal to be in this place. 

As we head south toward Jerusalem we will parallel the Jordan River which is the border with Jordan.  The border is lined with a double electric fence which alerts the Israeli soldiers, stationed at outposts all along the border, to any disturbance to the fence.  The minefields between the fences add credence to the saying “fences make good neighbors”.  Even though Israel has a peace treaty with Jordan, this country takes no chances.  It is necessary for their survival. 

Along this southern route, we passed through several Palestinian towns in the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) area, also commonly known as the West Bank.  There is such a contrast between the landscape and terrain of the two.  The Israelis have been successful in turning their desert land into a fertile garden of fruits and vegetables, mango trees, date trees, and melons.  Our guide reminded us that we came at the perfect time of year to see Israel at its greenest.  Of note also, we have had beautiful weather as you can see from the photos.  Thank You, Lord!

Bet Shean:  Our first stop was at the ruins of Bet Shean where the Philistines displayed the murdered bodies of King Saul and his son Jonathan on the city walls.  You may recall that the Israelis came in at night and recovered the bodies for proper burial. (First Samuel 31:1-13). 

We had lunch at a beautiful hotel in Jericho.  Guess which hotel?  The Intercontinental!  It was unusual to see such a grand hotel out here in the rocky desert. 

We then toured the ruins of Jericho, and again heard the story of how God allowed Joshua to capture the city.  (Joshua 6). 

Jerusalem:  On to Jerusalem, entering the city on a modern tour bus and singing praises at the top of our voices.  All our bus mates must be Southern Baptists ‘cause they sure can sing!  Jerusalem is quite different than in Jesus’ day we were told.  Of course, much larger and modern.  We visited the model of the old city and the museum which holds the Dead Sea Scroll facsimile of Isaiah.   The original of the entire book of Isaiah copy is preserved in the antiquities vault.

 On to our hotel for the evening:  The Dan Jerusalem Hotel is located high on a hill overlooking Jerusalem.  You enter the lobby on the sixth floor and our room is on the first floor. Very nice.  Looking forward to some much needed rest in preparation for