Wayne Stiles's Blog, page 66
March 15, 2016
The Israel Museum, the Holocaust Museum
Day 8: Insight for Living Ministries Israel Tour
We spent the morning in Jerusalem at two magnificent museums. Both reflect a history of the chosen people that we must never forget. We toured the Israel Museum, which houses the original Dead Sea Scrolls at the Shrine of the Book. We also saw a number of wonderful archaeological finds we saw that connect directly with Jesus and the Bible.
(Photo: The Israel Museum. Courtesy of the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands)
But the most moving museum wa...
March 14, 2016
The Jordan River, Ein Gedi, Masada, and the Dead Sea
Day 7: Insight for Living Ministries Israel Tour
Today we descended from Jerusalem into the warmer Jordan Valley. In fact, it’s the lowest elevation on the planet! We began with a worship service beside the Jordan River, the very site where tradition says Jesus was baptized.
(Photo: Jordan River baptism site, where Jesus was baptized)
On the west shore of the Dead Sea, we toured several places:
Masada—where first-century Jewish patriots committed suicide rather than surrender to Rome. Ein Ge...March 13, 2016
In Jerusalem! Where Jesus Walked (Literally)
Day 6: Insight for Living Ministries Israel Tour
No matter how many times I come to the Holy City of Jerusalem, the first view never gets old. I’ve never lived here, but it still feels like home. That’s probably because Jerusalem repesents so much of what we Christians love about the Bible. And we’ve seen a LOT of Jerusalem in the past two days.
(Photo: Jerusalem’s Southern Steps Excavations)
Our Sunday morning began with a worship service on the steps of Jerusalem’s Temple Mount! How great i...
March 12, 2016
Jerusalem: City of David, Hezekiah’s Tunnel, and the Pool of Siloam
Day 5: Insight for Living Ministries Israel Tour
When people picture the city of Jerusalem, they usually think of the historic Western Wall, or the Old City, or the Temple Mount crowned with the Golden Dome of the Rock. But people on our tour were surprised to learn that the original city of Jerusalem lay just south of the Temple Mount on a small spur of land that encompassed about only ten acres.
(Photo: City of David at right, and Kidron Valley)
Crammed with houses and punctured with archa...
March 11, 2016
Kidron Valley and Jerusalem Walls [Photo]
I snapped this photo of the Kidron Valley beside the Old City walls of Jerusalem. It’s impossible to fathom the history that occurred simply in the space of this photograph. Not the least of which is Jesus and His disciples crossing the Kidron Valley to enter the Garden of Gethsemane (John 18:1). Sometimes it’s enough just to ponder a photograph.Keep reading this post. Better still, get my full posts the easy way when you SUBSCRIBE TO MY BLOG. When you do, I’ll also send you my FREE...
March 10, 2016
Caesarea Philippi, Tel Dan, the Golan Heights, and the Sea of Galilee
Day 3: Insight for Living Ministries Israel Tour
Today the Insight for Living Ministries’ Israel tour pointed its buses north towards the Golan Heights and several significant biblical sites. On our way north, we passed Tel Hazor and I thought of when Joshua conquered the city in his day. Our time in the Golan Heights included a visit to Caesarea Philippi.
(Photo: Caesarea Philippi)
The site has been identified in Scripture with the names Baal-gad (Joshua 11:17; 12:7; 13:5), Baal-hermon (Judg...
March 9, 2016
The Mount of Beatitudes, Capernaum, Nof Ginosar, and Nazareth
Day 2: Insight for Living Ministries Israel Tour
The picturesque view from the Mount of Beatitudes offers visitors more than simply something to see. Today our bus tugged up the incline toward the “mount” and took a few hairpin turns up the hill. Once on top, the road curved east and rewarded us with a marvelous view of a church that gazed out over thirteen miles across the Sea of Galilee.
(Photo: Mount of Beatitudes)
The beautiful chapel supports a cross with a stained dome that towers over...
March 8, 2016
Caesarea, Mount Carmel, and a Great Question for You
Day 1: Insight for Living Ministries Israel Tour
Today, the tour began—with 700 of our closest friends! And what a great day it was. We began our day at Caesarea—the primary port used in the time of Jesus and the Apostles.
(Photo: The theater in Caesarea)
Caesarea by the SeaIn the first century, Caesarea enjoyed a constant flow of people with money to burn (sort of like tourists today, I guess). The bustling seaport featured all the usual touches of Roman culture—including a vast entertainme...
March 6, 2016
Touring Christian Rome – and 2 Sites that Make it Matter
Insight for Living Ministries' Pre-Israel Tour to Rome
Yesterday and today theInsight for Living Ministries pre-tour to Israel enjoyed touring Christian Rome—or the part of Rome usually associated with Christianity.
(Photo: Columns in the Roman Forum)
Much of the past two days also included other standard tourist sites in Rome both modern and ancient:
Roman Forum Colosseum Circus Maximus Piazza del Popolo Trevi Fountain Pantheon Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel Arch of Titus the Catacom...March 4, 2016
When in Rome, Go Here
Insight for Living Ministries' Pre-Israel Tour to Rome
Before the Insight for Living Ministries tour to Israel begins in a few days, the ministry is hosting a pre-tour to Rome for those who chose to attend. Cathy and I have the privilege of helping lead this tour in Rome.
(Photo: The Arch of Constantine and Roman Colosseum)
On this first, full day of touring we saw many of Rome’s typical tourist spots:
The Aurelian Walls The Pyramid of Caius Cestius Barberini Square Triton Fountain Via Venet...
