Genesis 12:1-3
Now Adonai said to Abram, “Get yourself out of your country, away from your kinsmen and away from your father’s house, and go to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make of you a great nation, I will bless you, and I will make your name great; and you are to be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, but I will curse anyone who curses you; and by you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”
Day 1: Departure from Johannesburg: (Wednesday 31 May 2023)
Our journey begins as we depart on overnight flight. We travel with our overnight bags as our suitcases will be forwarded to Israel.
Day 2: (Thursday 01 June 2023)
Tel Aviv,Jaffa, Caesarea Maritima, Mt Carmel, Jezreel – Megiddo Valley,
We arrive in Tel Aviv at 2:40 am. The Bible stories comes alive as we start our journey reading the Scriptures. We take a drive to Joppa the oldest port of Israel. We visit the charismatic and beautiful city of Jaffa the oldest port city in the world that dates back thousands of years and is where St. Peter had his vision on the rooftop of the House of Simon the Tanner and raised Tabitha from the dead. Jonah set sail to Tarshish from Jaffa and King Solomon built his port on the Mediterranean there. After enjoying the few over the Mediterranean sea we will drive to Caesarea, where Gentiles first heard the Good News from Peter and were baptized. We’ll see the Roman Amphitheatre, hippodrome, a film on history and remains of this famous port city, and aqueduct, and then journey proceed to Haifa for a panoramic view. We continue to Mt. Carmel where Elijah challenged King Ahab and the prophets of Baal. We drive through the Jezreel Valley to Megiddo, the Armageddon Battlefield, where archaeologists have unearthed 20 levels of civilization.
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner. Overnight: Nazareth or Tiberius
Day 3: (Friday 02 June 2023)
Nazareth , Cana, Mt. Tabor , Mount of the Beatitudes, Tabgha, Capernaum
Our journey continue to Nazareth where Yeshua spent his boyhood years before beginning his ministry at the age of 30. Next is Cana of Galilee where Yeshua performed His first miracle at the wedding. This morning we ascending Mt. Tabor for a spectacular view, the place of transfiguration and ascension of Yeshua. Thereafter we enjoy special time at the Mount of the Beatitudes, the site of the Sermon on the Mount and for a beautiful view of the entire Galilee. We visit Tabgha the site of the multiplication of loaves and fishes. We descend for a visit to Capernaum which form what has been called the “evangelical triangle” because most of Yeshua’s miracles in Galilee were performed in these cities. Capernaum (The Town of Yeshua) we will visit the ruins of an ancient synagogue, where we’ll view the ruins of a 1st century synagogue and likely a location that Yeshua taught and a view of Peter’s home.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. Overnight: Nazareth or Tiberius
Day 4: (Saturday 03 June 2023)
Yeshua Boat, Sail on Galilee Boat, Mt Arbel, Magdala, Tmar Bfar
This is an early morning for everyone. We continue our journey with a spectacular finding of the ancient Yeshua Boat located at the Nof Ginnosar Kibbutz. We enjoy relaxing Cruise on the Sea of Galilee and devotional on board brings to life the experiences of Yeshua and the fishermen disciples. We visit the ancient Yeshua Boat located at the Nof Ginnosar Kibbutz before we end the day with a relaxing cruise on the Sea of Galilee and devotional on board brings to life the experiences of Yeshua and the fishermen disciples. We enjoy an amazing outlook over the Sea of Galilee from Mt Arbel. Next we visit the Town where Mary Magdalene lived. The name “Magdala” comes from the word “tower” in Hebrew. Yeshua would have preached in Magdala during his ministry when he was based nearby in Capernaum. We stop over at Tmar Bfar where we will learn more about the fruit date trees in Israel.
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner. Overnight: Tiberius
Day 5: (Sunday 04 June 2023)
Judean Desert, Bethabara (Quasar-El-Yahud), Jericho – Wadi Qilt, The Wilderness (Voice in the Wildernis) Qumran, Masada, Ein Bokek,
This is a very early morning departure through the Judean Desert. Our first will be at the Biblical Baptism site Bethabara, that played an important role in the life of Yeshua. After his rejection in Jerusalem during the Feast of Dedication, “He went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there he abode.” (John 10.40). We continue to Jericho, the place where God had an awesome plan for the battle of Jericho. The scriptures describes the Israelites being led by Joshua and crossing the Jordan into Canaan where they laid siege to the city of Jericho. There, God spoke to Joshua telling him to go around the city once every day for six days with the seven priests carrying ram’s horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day they were to May around the city seven times and the priests were to blow their ram’s horns. We visit the Mount of Temptation where Yeshua was tempted by Satan after fasting 40 days & 40 Nights. We an ancient Sycamore Tree where Zacchaeus climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Yeshua passing by. We visit Qumran where the Deadsea Scrolls were found and head to Ein Gedi, “Spring of the Goat,” an oasis on the western shore of the Dead Sea where David hid from Saul, and where God defeated the enemies of the Israelites by praise and worship led by King Jehoshaphat. We travel to Masada for a Cable car ride to the mountain top fortress of Masada where we will learn about the history of the famous zealot stand . Our day ends with a relaxing float in the Dead Sea.
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner. Overnight: Ein Bokek
Day 6: (Monday 05 June 2023)
Kfar Hanokdim, Be’er Sheva – Abrahams Tent, Elah Valley, Jaffa Gate, Jerusalem Night Light Show
We travel to Kfar Hanokdim which represents the beginning of Abraham story how he left his home and wandered the Holy Land. Sitting in a nomad’s tent made of goat’s wool, overlooking the same desert view that Abraham passed through, we will read verses from the bible as the story unfold. Abraham had received God’s direct promise, “I will make of you a great nation” (Gen. 12:2). God promised Abraham a great nation, fruitfulness, and good relationships, by which meant he and his family would bless the whole world, and in due course be blessed themselves beyond imagining (Gen. 22:17). The patriarchal narratives repeatedly mention the great wealth of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Gen. 13:2; 26:13; 31:1).Our next stop is at Be’er Sheva, one of the major crossroads that connects us to Abraham, who lived here 3,700 years ago. He dug a well to water his flock, made a covenant of peace with Abimelech, the king of Gerar in those days, and the two swore allegiance to one another. “Therefore he called that place Be’er Sheba, because this is where the two of them took an oath” Genesis 21:21. We start with an early morning travelling towards the Elah Valley where the battle between the Israelites and the Philistines continued. The Elah Fortress “lies just inside a north-south ridge of hills separating Philistia and Gath to the west from Judea to the east. This is also the place where David fought the Giant Golaith 1 Samuel 17:4-51 and 1 Samuel 21:9. We end the evening with entrance at The Jaffa Gate. Nehemiah 3 concerns itself with the specifics of rebuilding the walls and especially the 10 gates that separated each section of Jerusalem. The significance of the Jaffa Gate known as the Gate of the Friend, the Gate of David’s Prayer. It marks the end of the road that led to Jerusalem from the ancient port of Jaffa and the beginning of one of two major axes that divide the Old City into four quarters. Our evening ends with an extraordinary night light show and having coffee near the City of David
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner. Overnight: Jerusalem
Day 7: (Tuesday 06 June 2023)
Walls of Jerusalem, Mt Zion, Last Supper Room, Tomb of King David, Cardo, Jewish Quarters, Western Wall, Southern Wall, Golden Gate, Mount of Olives, Dominus Flevit, Palm Sunday road , Church of All Nations, Garden of Gethsemane
This morning we fulfil Isaiah 62:6-7 by praying on the Walls of Jerusalem. This morning is a very early start and long walk we visit the Upper Room (Luke 22). We visit the traditional site where Yeshua instituted the “Last Supper” – Matthew 26:17-30; Mark 14:12-25; Luke 22:7-23; John 13:1—17:26. Visit the Tomb of King David and walk through the historic Jewish Quarter, down the Cardo. We have a spectacular teaching at the Temple Institute. On our way down the stairs we see the Golden Lamp Stand and enjoy prayer time at the Western Wall. We take our journey out the Dung Gate to view the Southern Wall Excavations and the Temple Stairs. We walk pass the Mercy Gate and make our way up to the Golden Gate. We head to the top of the Mount of Olives to stand where Yeshua had a breathtaking view of the city across the Kidron Valley to the Eastern Gate where the Prince of Peace will enter (Ezekiel 44) also the place where He ascended into heaven (Acts 1). We walk pass by Pater Noster Church and Dominus Flevit where “the Yeshua wept” as he beheld the Holy City and walk down the Palm Sunday Road to the Garden of Gethsemane and see 2,000 year old olive trees that date back to the time of Yeshua. We visit the Church of All Nations. We spend time praying in the Garden.
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner. Overnight: Jerusalem
Day 8: (Wednesday 07 June 2023)
Caiaphas House, Panoramic view, Pools of Bethsaida, St. Anne, Ecco Homo, Stations of the Cross, Golgotha, Garden Tomb, Bethlehem, Shepherd Field,
We visit St. Peter Galicantu also known as the House of Caiaphas The way of the cross starts at the Lions gate as we continue to the Pools of Bethsaida also known to have supplied water to the First and Second Temples until Herod the Great’s time. These very baths are where the healing miracle of Yeshua took place. We visit Ecco homo (“behold [the] man” John 19 where the soldiers plaited a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and arrayed him in a purple robe. We continue to the Stations of the Cross and end at Golgotha. We reach the climax of our tour when we visit the empty Garden Tomb, where we will celebrate the Resurrection with a time of prayer (Luke 23). We journey to the Shepherds field and Bethlehem. Yeshua was born in Bethlehem, which was a fulfillment of prophecy (Micah 5:2; Luke 2:1-7) and also the place of death and burial for Rachel. The name Bethlehem actually means “house of bread.” Bethlehem was also the birthplace of David (2 Sam 23:24; 1 Chr 11:26). The roads descending to the east of Bethlehem lead through the Christian village of Beit Sahour (or Bait Sahur), which includes the Shepherds’ Fields identified since ancient times where the shepherds seen the Star. (Luke 2:8-10).
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner. Overnight: Jerusalem
Day 9: (Thursday 08 June 2023)
Yad Vashem, Ein Kerem, Abu Gosh
We visit Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum. Our journey continue to Ein Kerem a pilgrimage site where John the Baptist was born. Next we will have a visit to the village of Abu Gosh, it was known in Biblical Times as Kiryat Ye’arim, and was a ceremonial center where the Ark of the Covenant was placed. The biblical Kiryat Ye’arim, from where King David brought the Holy Shrine back to Jerusalem.
Day 12 – Central Galilee, Beth Shan, Mt. Gilboa, Harod Springs, Jezreel Valley, Jezreel, Nazareth, Sepphoris, Cana, Mt. Arbel
We begin by heading south to visit the extensive Roman ruins and Tel of the ancient city of Beth Shan. We then drive up Mt. Gilboa to where King Saul was killed, to take pictures of the fertile Beth Shan Valley. We descend to Harod Springs where Gideon downsized his army to 300. Our next stop is at Tel Jezreel, the city of Ahab and Jezebel. We drive thru the Jezreel Valley passing by Shunem where Elisha raised a boy from the dead, and by Ophrah where Gideon resided. We ascend Mt. Precipice for a view of Nazareth, Mt. Tabor where Deborah defeated the Canaanites, and northern Armageddon. After driving by the Church of the Annunciation, we have a guided tour of Nazareth Village. Next, we go to the close by ancient city of Sepphoris where likely Joseph and Jesus worked as builders. We drive thru Cana where Jesus turned the water into wine, and end the day at Mt. Arbel for a spectacular view of the Sea of Galilee. We arrive back at Tiberias to see a film about Galilee’s Biblical history.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 10: (Friday 09 June 2023
Home
We on our way home with mind and hearts filled with a new and revived passion of Faith. We say goodbye to our new friends and Jerusalem remains on our lips
