October 5 - 16 , 2021 $4,050 from Washington Dulles (Based on minimum(DULLES) of 35 passengers) TOUR HOST: Richard Fredericks, Ph.D. Senior Pastor Damascus Road Community Church ISRAEL (the footsteps of Jesus) BEGINS HERE Next we travel to CANA, the small town where Jesus performed His first miracle: met the needs of a young couple beginning their marriage. This story, eleven DAY 1 - Tuesday, October 5, 2021 DULLES / ISTANBUL verses long, in John 2:1-11, is filled with statements worth reflecting on. They are This evening we leave from Dulles International for our connecting flight in foundational to Jesus’ ministry. Istanbul, arriving the next day. Meals served on board. Then we drive to NAZARETH, the town of Gabriel’s visit to Virgin Mary (BASILICA OF THE ANNUNCIATION, see Luke 1:26-56), where Jesus grew up (Matthew 2:19-23). Nazareth is also the scene of His public declaration of His DAY 2 - Wednesday, October 6, 2021 ISTANBUL / TEL AVIV ministry (Luke 4:14-30). Transfer to our flight leaving 6:05PM arriving Tel Aviv, Israel 8:05PM, Transfer to our hotel for dinner and overnight. DAY 5 - Saturday, October 9, 2021 CAESAREA PHILIPPI / SEA OF GALILEE / MOUNT OF BEATITUDES/ MAGDELA Our first full day of touring is Day 3 along the MEDITERRANEAN SEA. This We depart early in the morning to CAESAREA PHILIPPI (modern Banias), which day helps you understand the historical context of the New Testament through a was, in Jesus’ day a royal Roman City dedicated to the worship of the Greco- look at the demented genius and power of Herod the Great (Matthew 2:1-18; Roman god, PAN, who was believed to have been ‘birthed’ in the cave we will see Luke 1:5). Herod was, in many ways, great, especially as a builder (Temple, there; and who was revered as the god of pleasure. In this place, in the shadow Masada, Herodian Palace, and Caesarea Maritime). But he was equally ruthless of the cave known as the “Gate of Hell” and a Roman city built in honor of Caesar and determined to destroy the newborn Messiah. His tenuous grasp of power as as Lord and dedicated to decadence, Jesus asks His decisive question: “Who do the King of the Jews stands in sharp contrast to the life-giving power Jesus came you say that I am?” Here Peter makes the foundational confession upon to give away. which the Church of Christ is built (Matthew 16:13-27; Mark 8:2738; Luke 9:18- 27). Our first day also offers us a pivotal picture of the early Christian church and the later Crusader Presence. Finally we end at the site of the most dramatic face-off in After Caesarea Philippi, we drive back to the Sea of Galilee and visit the Museum the Old Testament apart from David and Goliath: Elijah standing against the 450 of the ancient Galilean boat dug out of the mud on the shores of the SOG. This prophets of Baal: fishing boat dates back to the life of Jesus. From here, we board ship for a BOAT RIDE and worship on the SEA OF GALILEE where so many of Jesus’ miracles DAY 3 - Thursday, October 7, 2021 TEL AVIV / JAFFA / CAESAREA / and stories took place (see Matthew 4:12-22; cf. Mark 1:16-20; Matthew 8:23-26, MUHRAQA / TIBERIAS cf. Mark 4:35-41; Matthew 9:1; Matthew 14:22-36; Mark 5:1, 18; 6:45-53; Luke 5:1-11; John 21:1-13). We start our tour of the Holy Land in Jaffa (JOPPA in the New Testament, see Acts 9:36-43 and Acts 10:1-23). Here Peter raised Dorcas from the dead and Debarking from our time on the Sea of Galilee we go to the MOUNT OF had his famous vision in Acts 10 on Simon’s rooftop that convinced him Jesus BEATITUDES, the glorious hilltop and church dedicated to Jesus’ Sermon on the died for us all, Jew and Gentile alike—a crucial turning point in history). We will Mount (Matthew 57), especially to His eight beatitudes at the beginning of His take a short walk through the beautifully restored ancient port, where medieval great teaching. We will spend time reflecting and praying at this profoundly pilgrims started their strenuous 2-day trek to Jerusalem. beautiful place. Back to Tiberius for the evening, to reflect and prepare for the next day’s sites and our journey south to the region of Jericho and the Dead Sea. Next is CAESAREA (Read the rest of Acts 10:24-48, where Peter breaks with a thousand years of tradition dividing Jews and Greeks and baptizes into Christ the DAY 6 - Sunday, October 10, 2021 CAPERNAUM / TABGHA / YARDENIT / first non-Jewish believers. This is also the site where Paul was imprisoned for DEAD SEA RESORT over two years, before sailing for Rome and his trial before Caesar [Acts 23:23- 26:32]). It is the perfect place to learn about King Herod’s genius as a builder Our first stop is one of my favorites on the whole trip: we go to CAPERNAUM, and politician (we will see his fortress of Masada later in the tour). Here also we Jesus adopted “hometown” during His Galilean (northern) ministry (SEE Matthew see the Roman and Crusader presence in the country. Visit the ROMAN 4:12-22 [esp. verse 13]). Here we will visit the synagogue where Jesus most often AQUADUCTS and AMPHITHEATER and walk the walls of the impressive taught, the nearby home of Simon Peter and the shoreline of the SEA OF CRUSADER FORTRESS and admire Herod’s Stadium and man-made harbor. GALILEE. This small town area was the site for so many of Jesus’ miracles, teachings, calling of His disciples and face-offs with the religious leaders. READ Next drive north along the fruitful Mediterranean coast dotted with vineyards and Mark 2:1-3:34; Luke 4:31-7:10 for examples of this early ministry stage of Jesus. apricot groves to the slopes of the scenic Carmel mountain range and ascend Then we go to the sea-side village of Tabgha, to see the CHURCH OF THE MOUNT CARMEL (Read this powerful story in 1 Kings 16:29-17:24, then the MULTIPLICATION OF THE LOAVES AND FISHES (the only miracle of Jesus famous face-off in 1 Kings 18:1-46): especially notice the words of Elijah recorded in all four Gospels: (Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:30-34; Luke 9:10-17; throughout—his perspective on what the issues were, in contrast to Ahab’s John 6:1-15); and nearby the CHURCH OF PETER’S CALLING (see John 21:1- perspective). From this mountain we have an amazing view of Haifa. At 25). MUHRAQA, site of Prophet Elijah’s contest of faith with the priests of Baal, enjoy a sweeping panoramic view of the fertile JEZREEL VALLEY. Then onto YARDENIT, a baptismal site on the Jordan River. Time will be allotted for pilgrims to participate in a submersion baptism in the Jordan River We go on to our hotel in TIBERIUS (named for the Roman emperor at that time), (Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-13; Luke 3:21-23). Leave the Galilee area, drive on the banks of the SEA OF GALILEE, itself an ancient and fascinating site. through the Jordan Valley to arrive in the Dead Sea resort area for your overnight stay. Visit JERICHO, one of the most ancient cities in the World (Joshua 5:13- DAY 4 - Friday, October 8, 2021 TEL AVIV / MOUNT TABOR / CANA / 6:27; Luke 19:1-10; Mark 10:46-52). In the afternoon, return to the DEAD SEA NAZARETH / TIBERIAS area (traditional site of Sodom and Gomorrah, see Genesis 18:16-19:29). Here we relax and have plenty of time to experience the feeling of buoyancy in the heavy We leave Tel Aviv and travel to MOUNT TABOR, the mountain rising out of the water (it is an unforgettable experience)! Overnight in the Dead Sea Resort Galilean plain which Jesus ascended with Peter, John and James. Matthew 17:1- area. Before Dinner, gather at the hotel for time of reflection with an overview of 8 says: “There He was transfigured before them…” On this mountain Jesus meets touring the next day (B,D) with Moses and Elijah and the disciples encounter the divine glory of Jesus (see 2 Peter 1:16-18); they hear the affirmation of the Father and they move to a new level in understanding Jesus as the fulfillment of the Old Testament (READ Matthew 17:1-8; Mark 9:1-12 and Luke 9:28-36). DAY 7 - Monday, October 11, 2021 MASADA / EN GEDI / QUM RAN / [Solomon’s] temple mount (referred to as Mount Zion (1 Chronicles 28-29; 2 JERUSALEM Chronicles 1-7). We will be in the Jewish quarter of Jerusalem, one rich with history at every step. We will walk from the Western (Wailing) Wall of the Temple Begin the morning at Herod’s fortress masterpiece, MASADA. Ascend by cable Mount to the Archeological Museum of the SOUTHERN WALL, where we will car to the spectacular clifftop FORTRESS of Masada and hear how 960 Jewish climb the actual steps that Jesus and the Apostles climbed as they entered the zealots preferred death at their own hands to the indignity of surrender to huge Temple Mount area, up to the Hulda Gates. overwhelming Roman forces. ("Since we long ago resolved never to be servants to the Romans, nor to any other than to God Himself, Who alone is Our next stop is to the beautiful Muslim DOME OF THE ROCK (the rock of the true and just Lord of mankind, the time is now come that obliges us to Abraham’s sacrifice: read Genesis 22), which, since 691 AD, stands where both make that resolution true in practice ..