TOUR HOST: June 9 - 19, 2021 Dr. Jordan Rogers $4,717 from HOUSTON Hillcrest Baptist Church (Based on minimum of 15 passengers) ISRAEL BEGINS HERE Balāṭa, the site of biblical Shechem. From there we visit the Old Testament city of Shilo that was home for the Tabernacle with the Ark of the Covenant and you may walk to the likely plateau where it was pitched and picture the cloud pillar of God’s presence DAY 1 - Wednesday, June 9, 2021 rising up above the valley walls. This would also be the spot where Hannah came to HOUSTON / ISTANBUL pray for a son. Later, she dedicated that son, Samuel, to serve in the Tabernacle. It was from Shiloh that the Ark was taken into battle and temporarily lost to the Today we will meet at Houston International airport for our flight to Istanbul via wide- Philistines. Then to Bethel the House of God where Abram built an altar on his way to body aircraft arriving the next day. Meals served on board. Egypt and on his return where God spoke to Abraham. This also where Jacob dreams of a ladder going to heaven. Here is where Jacob’s name was changed to Israel. This DAY 2 - Thursday, June 10, 2021 is also where Jeroboam set up the Golden Calf. Continue to the Holy City for a panoramic view before we head to our hotel for dinner and overnight. TEL AVIV / JAFFA / NETANYA Upon arrival in Tel Aviv we are met by our guide who will be with us for the time we are in the Holy Land. Board our bus and travel through Tel Aviv, the largest city in Israel. DAY 6 - Monday, June 14, 2021 Our first stop will be at Jaffa (Joppa), the city of Jonah, where Peter had his housetop MASADA / JERICHO / JERUSALEM experience at the home of Simon the Tanner. We proceed to the city of Netanya, on Today we drive to the Dead Sea. Masada and ascend by cable car to the magnificent the Mediterranean to our hotel where we will check in overnight. ruins of the fortress where, from 70 to 73 AD, Jewish defenders made their last stand in the Judean revolt against Rome. We see the remains of storehouses, cisterns and a DAY 3 - Friday, June 11, 2021 sixth-century Byzantine church. Continuing alongside the Dead Sea, 1300 ft. below sea level -- the lowest spot on. We proceed to Ein Gedi where time permitting we will walk NETANYA / CAESAREA / MEGIDDO / the path to see the waterfall in the desert. NAZARETH RIDGE / SEPPHORIS / This afternoon we continue to Qumran and the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls TIBERIAS were found. We will have a stop for lunch and for those that want to swim in the Dead This morning we proceed to Caesarea, capital of the Roman procurators of Judea. Visit Sea may. We travel eastward to Gilgal, the first camp of the Israelites after they the Roman port, Crusaders Moat, Roman theater and aqueduct. Continue to Muhraka crossed the Jordan into the Holy Land by the Jordan River and then to the baptism site on Mount Carmel where Elijah challenged Baal's priests. and then to Jericho, Elisha’s Spring, then enter ancient Tel Jericho to see remains of fallen walls and view the Mount of Temptation where Satan tempted Jesus. This afternoon, after a Middle Eastern lunch at a Druse restaurant, we proceed to Megiddo to visit the excavations that unearthed 20 different civilizations. We will pass a We drive thru the West Bank and Judean Wilderness to stop for a scenic view of the rolling stone tomb near Megiddo and then travel toward the Galilee and stop at Harod Wadi Qelt, St. George’ Monastery, and ancient Jericho Road. We will head up to Springs where Gideon downsized his army to 300. Our next stop is at Tel Jezreel, the Jerusalem stopping for a view of Valley of the Shadow of Death (upper Wadi Qelt) then city of Ahab and Jezebel seeing the remains of the wall where Jezebel was thrown off, and return to the hotel for dinner. and the wine press of Naboth. Below Tel Jezreel is Jezreel Spring where Saul gathered his men the night before fighting the Philistines when he and his sons were killed on Mt. Gilboa. We drive thru the Jezreel Valley passing by Shunem where Elisha DAY 7 - Tuesday, June 15, 2021 raised a boy from the dead, and by Ophrah where Gideon resided. We then go to a JERUSALEM / CITY OF DAVID / RABBI first-century dwelling found beneath a convent in Nazareth, Israel, could have been Jesus' childhood home. We then ascend Mt. Precipice for a view of Nazareth, Mt. TUNNEL / TEMPLE INSTITUTE / SHRINE Tabor where Deborah defeated the Canaanites, and northern Armageddon. Then, it's on to Tiberias on the Sea of Galilee for dinner and overnight at our hotel. OF THE BOOK This morning, our guide will take us to an overview of the city from the hillside overlooking Jerusalem and the Gehenna Valley. This meaningful teaching time will DAY 4 - Saturday, June 12, 2021 bring together the many things that you have seen to date. We continue our TIBERIAS / UPPER GALILEE / MAGDALA sightseeing just outside the Dung Gate on the southeastern hill below the Temple Following breakfast, our morning travels take us to upper Galilee. Our first stop is Tel Mount in the City of David. It was during the time of Solomon that the city limits Hazor is one of the largest, most important biblical sites in the Canaanite and Israelite extended past this part of Jerusalem. We visit Gihon Springs, the original water source periods. Next is Dan is where the children of Israel fell to the depths of pagan worship for Jerusalem, view new excavations including a typical Israelite four-room house, the and see the city gate that Abraham entered. Next we travel to Caesarea Philippi, the lower city wall and the cistern where Jeremiah was imprisoned. We will also see the site of Peter’s Confession. There we will see the Roman road mentioned in Jesus' tomb where King David was buried. A highlight today will be a water walk through the travels (Mark 8 27): "Now Jesus and His disciples went out to the towns of Caesarea incredible Hezekiah's Tunnel to the pool of Siloam, the place of Jesus' miracle in John Philippi; and on the road He asked His disciples, saying to them, "Who do men say that 9. Ascending up to the Jewish Quarter we see the gold Menorah built for the next I am?", and Peter confessed Jesus as the Messiah. Next we travel to Capernaum Temple, the Temple Institute, a 1st Temple period model of Jerusalem, the Broad Wall where we will visit the ruins of an ancient synagogue and Peter’s home. Then we travel built by King Hezekiah, and the Roman Cardo. Time permitting we will see the Burnt on to the site of the possible multiplication of loaves and fishes by the Mount of the House. Then we will enter the Rabbi Tunnel by the Western wall plaza and go down to Beatitudes overlooking the Sea. Then we visit Tabgha “seven springs” where Jesus the foundation of the Second Temple. We will see a model that will demonstrate where first called his disciples and where Jesus appeared to the Apostles after the we are in location to the Temple in the time of Christ. Continue along the tunnel as we resurrection. Then we visit the newly found synagogue in Magdala from the first proceed to the Gateway of the Priests entry to the Holy of Holies. century and the time of Christ’s ministry. Since the Bible tells us that Jesus taught throughout the Galilee, it is certain that he taught and frequented this very spot. On to DAY 8 - Wednesday, June 16, 2021 Ginnosar where we will view the ancient 1st Century Boat at an operating Kibbutz, then enjoy a relaxing cruise on the Sea of Galilee. A brief scripture reading and devotional MT. OF OLIVES / GARDEN OF on board brings to life the experiences of Jesus and the fishermen disciples concluding a wonderful day. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight. GETHSEMANE / SHEPHERD'S FIELDS / . BETHLEHEM DAY 5 - Sunday, June 13, 2021 "If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace" (Luke 19:42) we start the day with an orientation to Jerusalem from the Mt. of Olives with TIBERIAS / BET SHEAN / JACOB'S WELL an opportunity of a group photograph overlooking Jerusalem. We then walk the This morning we follow the Rift Valley running parallel to the Jordan, along the route traditional Passion walk passing the tomb of the Prophets Haggai, Zechariah and Jesus most frequently traveled to Jerusalem. We visit Bet Shean at the foot of Mt. Malachi. We descend to the church known as Dominus Flevit ("Our Lord weeps"). Gilboa, where King Saul was slain, see the evidences of Egyptian, Roman and After viewing the Golden Gate, we walk downhill to Gethsemane, where we take Byzantine occupations, and view the ancient tel, Roman Theater and church mosaics. time to meditate on the Gospel text and go ot the Grotto where the disciples slept. We then drive north through the Biblical heartland stopping for a picture at Tel Dothan We will walk by the tomb of the kings and get off at a roman road, where we climb and then to Nablus (Schechem). We stop at nearby Jacob's Well, site of Jesus' conversation with a Samaritan woman.