The Mount of Olives is a very significant place. It was here that Jesus prayed before His betrayal and it is here that Jesus ascended into Heaven. After His resurrection, for 40 days Jesus met with his apostles giving them instructions from the Holy Spirit and proving to them that He was alive.

On these occasions He spoke to them about the Kingdom of God. It was here at the Mount of Olives that Jesus told His disciples to spread the message of His Kingdom to people everywhere. It was here that two angels told the men of Galilee that Jesus would one day return.  Where else can you go and experience sites of such meaningful significance? It’s fantastic. The Mount of Olives looks toward the old city and one can see the eastern gate known as the Golden Gate. The Muslims sealed the gate to prevent the Messiah from entering the city. Too late!

Centuries too late. One can also see the golden dome of the Dome of the Rock, a Muslim mosque built on the site of Herod’s Temple that was destroyed in 70 AD by the Romans. Jesus predicted the Temple would be thrown down and you can see a bit of the remains. Most of the rock was reused over the centuries to build chapels and mosques.

In Jerusalem, archaeology is almost a curse. In the Old City while fixing a toilet an ancient temple was discovered beneath the house. Good for history, not so good for the home improvement costs. New sites are routinely discovered on a daily basis in Israel. In order to complete a high speed train from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem the underground portion within the city has to be about 19 floors beneath the city to avoid the centuries of archaeology.

Israel is well worth the visit. Many tours start in Tel Aviv on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. You can swim or lie on the beach if your tour gives you the time. Up the coast from Tel Aviv are the ancient ruins of Caesarea, a Roman port city. Here you can explore an archaeological site that is under the warm waters of the Med Sea if you like scuba diving. With temperatures in the 30s Celsius an escape underwater would be pleasant. East of Caesarea on the way to Nazareth is the ancient ruin of Megiddo. You probably are more familiar with the name of the valley Megiddo overlooks – the Valley of Armageddon. The Mount of Transfiguration is visible from Megiddo.

In the Region of Galilee many tours stay in the modern city of Tiberias on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. This large lake is the source of Israel’s drinking water. The levels are going down and they definitely need rain. So when you are praying for the peace of Jerusalem pray for rain in Galilee.

A relatively recent find is the small town of Bethsaida, the home of the Apostle Peter, located just above the Sea of Galilee. The lake was bigger in the time of Peter and Bethsaida would have been on the shores of the lake.  Close by is the location where Jesus gave the sermon on the mount. The River Jordan that forms part of the border between Israel and Jordan flows south from the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea.

Near the Dead Sea you can visit the site of an ancient Essenes community called Qumran.  It was here they recovered the Dead Sea scrolls. One can also get interesting insights into water baptism at Qumran. Further south is the old fortress of Masada.  Herod built it when he ruled the area. His income per year was in the millions.  He was a nasty man as were most of his family but he sure knew how to live in luxury. At the very southern tip of Israel is the port of Eilat.  It is a scuba diver’s paradise.  You can dive the Red Sea or just enjoy the rays on the beach. Sorry but if you go diving you won’t see any chariots.  They are too deep for recreational diving.

Most tours end in Jerusalem were you can walk the same steps that Jesus walked. The streets are safe. You can see small children walking to school without parents.  Everyone is worried about how unsafe Israel is.  There is no unrest there presently.  It is safe in many ways.  First of all Israel is in that part of the world where you expect third world conditions: bad water, beggars swarming you, etc.  Not so in Israel. It is a clean first world nation and very modern.  No bad water.  No beggars swarming you.  Many Palestinians work in the tourist industry so it is not targeted by them.  When you are on tour you have the added safety of being accompanied by a guide, of being in a group and traveling in a coach. You can walk the streets of Jerusalem at night. It seems safer than some cities.  The Ministry of Tourism assures that of the three million visitors to Israel last year all returned home safely.

Visiting Israel is an enriching experience – one that many Christians have done and one that many others think of doing.  It’s safe.  It’s historically enlightening and spiritually significant.  Many pastors take members from their congregations on tours there.  You can find more information at the Israeli Ministry of Tourism website. www.goisrael.ca. Shalom.