Some Biblical locations are frankly speculative, but the thrill of visiting the ancient ruins of Capernaum is that we can be absolutely sure that our Lord Jesus made this very place his home.
A visit to this Galilean fishing town gives a real sense of how such a community lived, and a living insight into the stories of the healing of Peter’s mother in law, and the palsied man, lowered on his bed through the roof of one of these very homes.
The impressive white synagogue likely sits on the very site of the synagogue which the Lord would have frequented during the time he lived in Capernaum.
Although only part of the original town has been excavated, the visible ruins are a solemn reminder of the Lord’s “woes” pronounced against the town’s highly privileged, but unbelieving population, and a testimony to the enduring quality of His infallible word.
Climbing out of the Galilee area we pass through Biblical Bashan, famed for its lush pasture lands and cattle herds. The cooler climes of the lower slopes of Mt Hermon give a welcome break from the heat as we skirt along the borders with Syria and Lebanon, passing many visible reminders of conflicts which have shaped the history of the state of Israel.
We won’t just be seeing wartime relics. On this trip we hope to meet and talk with some of the young men and women of the IDF who are tasked with the important responsibility of safeguarding their homeland.
The scenery and sense of history combine to make this another unforgettable day.
A visit to Nazareth Village is a favourite for many previous guests.
The Trust which runs the village aims to recreate an authentic NT era village, with insights into key aspects of rural life of the time.
You will see olive groves and presses and a spinner and carpenter at work.
The tour rounds off with a visit to the reconstructed synagogue and a presentation from Luke’s Gospel which helps gain an appreciation of the Lord’s presentation of himself to his fellow Nazarenes.
There is a well stocked gift shop where you can buy some lovely souvenirs. The olive wood carvings are a favourite.
Leaving the ancient city of Joppa, we travel north to the Mt Carmel National Park and a visit to the beatiful region where Elijah the Tishbite had his famous showdown with the prophets of Baal.
The rooftop of the Muhraka affords the most breath-taking views of the expansive Megiddo Valley to the South and East (towards Nazareth), and glimpses of the Mediterranean to the West, from whence the appearance of a cloud like a man’s hand was reported in the narrative.
This is an amazing place from which to gain an understanding of the topography of this highly significant Biblical region and how so many pivotal scriptural places are connected geographically.
Arriving Wed 4 November 2020, we start our 2020 tour in the port city of Tel Aviv, known in antiquity as Jaffa, or in the Bible as Joppa. We will overnight in the highly-rated Metropolitan Hotel
The story of Jonah’s flight (pun intended) alerts us to the fact that Joppa was a major shipping centre at that time, and it was the port of entry of the massive cedar timbers which Solomon imported for the construction of the temple in Jerusalem.
While in Joppa we will visit the exhibition centre and see a 4D presentation of the life and times of Solomon, giving an insight into the important role the city played in OT times.
