The Shepherd’s Voice

The Shepherd’s Voice

27 May – 05 June 2025

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:  (Tuesday 27 May 2025)  

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: (Wednesday 28 May 2025)

Tel Aviv, Jaffa, Mt Carmel, Jezreel – Megiddo Valley, Haifa  

We depart to Tel Aviv. The Bible stories come 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 port city that dates back thousands of years and where Peter had his vision on the rooftop of the House of Simon the Tanner. Where Tabitha was raised from the dead and Jonah set sail to Tarshish from Jaffa. King Solomon built his port on the Mediterranean. We drive to Mt. Carmel where Elijah challenged King Ahab and the prophets of Baal. (1 Kings 19) we see the Jezreel Valley, the Armageddon Battlefield, (Hill of Megiddo”), mentioned in the Bible only once, as Revelation to John (16:16). We enjoy an amazing view from Haifa learning more about the different bronze ages.

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner.     Overnight

Day 3:  (Thursday 29 May 2025)  

Mount Precipice, Nazareth , Cana, Mt. Tabor, Mount of the Beatitudes, Tabgha, Capernaum

This morning in the surroundings of Nazareth where Yeshua grew up in his early childhood. We have special prayer time on Mount Precipice. Yeshua returned to Nazareth after his baptism and visit the local synagogue declaring in public, that he is the Messiah. Rejecting his claim, the Nazarenes’ declare him as a false Messiah, and drag him to the “edge of the city“. They attempt to throw over the cliff, but “he passed through the midst of them and walked away” (Luke 4:29-30). We visit Nazareth where Yeshua spent his boyhood years before beginning his ministry at the age of 30. Traveling to Cana of Galilee where Yeshua performed His first miracle at the wedding. We ascend to Mt. Tabor the place of transfiguration and ascension of Yeshua. We visit the Nof Ginnosar Kibbutz where a discovery of the ancient Boat were made. We have special time at the Mount of the Beatitudes, the site of the Sermon on the Mount, experiencing the words of Yeshua to the multitudes. Next we visit Tabgha the site of the multiplication of loaves and fishes a place where Yeshua appeared to his disciples after his resurrection We visit to Capernaum the “evangelical triangle” These ruins of ancient 1st century synagogue, a location where Yeshua taught and where Peter’s home was.

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner.     Overnight

Day 4: (Friday 30 May 2025) 

Yeshua Boat, Sail on Galilee, Mt Arbel, Judean Desert, Qumran, Bethabara, Dead Sea

This is a very early morning enjoying a relaxing Cruise on the Sea of Galilee with devotion on board, bringing to life the experiences of Yeshua and the fishermen disciplesNext is enjoying an amazing outlook over the Sea of Galilee from Mt Arbel. We stop at Tmar Bkfar where we will watch a short video and time to purchase something valuable to take home with us from Galilee. We take our Journey through the Judean Desert with a visit to Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. We visit the Biblical Baptism site Bethabara, that played an important role in the life of Yeshua. Therafter we enjoy time at the Dead Sea for a float.

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner.     Overnight

Day 5: (Saturday 31 May 2025)

Mt Zion, Last Supper Room, Tomb of King David, Cardo, Jewish Quarters, Western and Southern Wall, Golden Gate, Mount of Olives, Palm Sunday road , Church of All Nations, Garden of Gethsemane

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. 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  visit 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. This evening you have the opportunity to explore Jerusalem at night.

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner.    Overnight

Day 6: (Sunday 01 June 2025)   

Caiaphas House, Pools of Bethsaida, Stations of the Cross, Night Light in Jerusalem

We visit the House of Caiaphas before we start The Way of The cross from the Lions gate, continuing to the Pools of Bethsaida that 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. We enjoy dinner at the Hotel before we enjoy an evening out.

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner.    Overnight

Day 7:  (Monday 02 June 2025)

Golgotha, Garden Tomb, Ein Kerem, Abu Gosh, Tel Aviv 

Early Morning we visit Golgotha and the empty Garden Tomb, where we will reflect on the Resurrection with a time of prayer (Luke 23). 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, where the Ark of the Covenant was placed from here King David brought the Holy Shrine back to Jerusalem. We drive to Tel Aviv where we will spend free time before we take our flight back home.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 8:   (Tuesday 03 June 2025) 

Home

We say goodbye to our new friends, having wonderful memories and treasure them in our hearts.  We on our way home with mind and hearts filled with a new and revived passion of Faith. Israel remains on our lips.