A Trip to Israel

The opportunity came in April 2012, for a tour of Israel with a group from our church. We were enthusiastic and knew that walking in the extreme heat would require lots of energy. For some, the trip would have been too strenuous. Our tour guide was Ellis Andre, our Senior Pastor, who has been there many times, as well as Andrew Turnbull, our Assistant Pastor. Danny Heifitz, our guide in Israel was familiar with Israel’s history and the Biblical account of Jesus. (He is related to Jascha Heifitz, the famous violinist.)



Where Jesus walked was of interest, particularly the Via Dolorosa, the route taken from the place where He was falsely tried, and made to carry his cross to Golgotha, the place of the skull, where He was crucified. It is a very narrow, stone-paved street. He was buried in a cave, which was provided by Joseph of Aramathea. The Bible tells us that Jesus was unable to carry the heavy cross and stumbled once, because of the severe lashing He had received. We were convinced that the location of the grave was accurate and that it was near the skull-like rock formation, although that was not as significant as knowing that Jesus sacrificed His life for our forgiveness and that He rose again. Mary Magdalene, speaking to Him in the garden, was the first to witness His resurrection.



While in Jerusalem, we visited the upper room, and the Garden of Gethsemane, where Judas came with a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent by the priests and elders, to capture Jesus. We stopped at the home of the high priest, Caiaphas, to visualize the place where Jesus was committed to death. It was the place where three times, Peter denied knowing Him.



The feeling of being where Jesus had been, was apparent when our tour ship stopped in the middle of the Sea of Galilee and our pastor read the account of the storm that caused Jesus’ disciples to cry out in despair, “Master, do you not care if we drown?” We imagined the angry waves tossing their boat around and Jesus calming the storm with the words, “Peace, be still!” We recalled His disciples uttering to one another, “What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”



It was on the Sea of Galilee that Jesus walked to join His disciples. They thought He was a spirit. Afterwards, Peter desired to go with them in the boat and undertook to walk to it on the water. Because the water was rough, he lost confidence and needed Jesus’ help. Jesus caught him and said, “O thou of little faith, why did you doubt?” The disciples acknowledged His deity, saying, “Of a truth, thou art the Son of God.”



An experience for our group to remember is to have been on the slope of the Mount of Beatitudes where we could look out onto the valley and know it was where Jesus delivered His Sermon on the Mount. Pastor Andrew confidently quoted the entire sermon. We could imagine Jesus teaching His disciples and those with them, that “Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven, blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted,” and more.



The city of Capernaum on the shore of the Sea of Galilee was where Jesus restored to good health, the servant of a Roman Centurion. The servant was “paralyzed and in terrible suffering.” Jesus recognized the Centurion as having considerable faith, and said, “I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.”



In Capernaum, we saw the ruins of Peter’s mother-in-law’s home, where a fine church is located over the site, and raised by pillars so the foundation can be seen easily. The significance is that Jesus frequently visited at this home and at one time, the dear woman had been seriously ill and Jesus cured her. Immediately, she was waiting on her guests.



We visited Tiberius, a fishing village on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, where Jesus recruited His disciples, inviting them, saying, “Come, follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”



Nazareth was where Jesus was brought up. It is also where He read from the scroll in the synagogue, telling the people that “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” We saw the ruins of His parents’home, which can be seen easily, although the Church of the Annunciation is situated over the site.



St. Anne’s Church is located at the Pool of Bethesda. It is over 1000 years old and has remarkable acoustics. Julie Turnbull sang a hymn and it was beautiful, with the sound reflecting from the walls and ceiling.



To walk where Jesus walked was truly awesome. Our guide, Danny, related much about Jesus. We were shown the country of Israel from North to South, all the while being given a commentary on its history, especially the Roman influence. I shall follow up with a description of our trip from that viewpoint.