Hebron is mentioned 72 times in the Bible. It's the beginning place of the nation of Israel. God's promises and covenants with Abraham and his descendants happened in Hebron or nearby. Later, from Hebron, David would reign for 7 1/2 years before becoming king over all Israel in Jerusalem. Sites of interest include Macpelah: Cave of the Patriarchs, where Abraham, Sara, Isaac, Rebecca, Jacob, and Leah are buried. Oaks of Mamre, David's Palace, Tel Hebron (Tel Rumeida). Hebron: Caves of Machpelah Photo Gallery Caves of Macpelah Building Layout Places of Interest Hebron: Caves of Machpelah Introduction Welcome to the Caves of Machpelah. Many significant events from the Bible took place in this area. These are the highlights. 1. After God affirmed His covenant with Abraham, he built an altar to the Lord nearby at Mamre. Mamre is located within Hebron, just one mile (1.5 km) north of the Cave of Machpelah. 2. At Hebron, Abraham bought the Cave of Machpelah as a burial place for his wife, Sarah, and his family. Genesis 23:19: After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field at Machpelah facing Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. 3. Later, Abraham, Isaac, Rebecca, Jacob, and Leah would also be buried in the Cave of Machpelah. 4. Hebron was given to Caleb as an inheritance for his faithfulness to the Lord. 5. Samson carried the gates of Gaza 35 miles (55 km) up to a mountain close to Hebron. 6. David was anointed king in Hebron and reigned here for 7 1/2 years. 7. The Caves of Machpelah mark the beginning place and roots of the nation of Israel. God's promises and covenants with Abraham and his descendants took place in Hebron or its vicinity. These promises also had wide-reaching implications and included all the nations of the earth. 8. The property of the Caves of Machepelah is the first legal land acquisition in the Promised Land. This fulfilled part of the Abrahamic covenant that God gave Abraham in Genesis chapters 12 and 13. 9. The monument we see today was constructed by Herod the Great around 20 BC. 10. The monument structure we see today is divided into two sections: a Jewish synagogue and a Mosque. We'll explore both sections. Location 1. The city of Hebron is set in the Judean Mountains, about 20 miles (32 km) south of Jerusalem. 2. Hebron stands 3,000 feet (914 m) above sea level, making it the highest city in Israel. 3. It is located on a well-traveled route that runs north and south through the mountainous part of Israel. Well-known towns such as Beersheba, Hebron, Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Bethel, Shiloh, and Shechem are located along this route. 4. Abraham and the other patriarchs traveled this route repeatedly. Historical Background 1. The Caves of Machpelah mark the beginning place and roots of the nation of Israel. God's promises and covenants with Abraham and his descendants took place in Hebron or its vicinity. These promises also had wide-reaching implications and included all the nations of the earth. 2. The property of the Caves of Machepelah is the first legal land acquisition in the Promised Land. This fulfilled part of the Abrahamic covenant that God gave Abraham in Genesis chapters 12 and 13. 3. It began to be venerated during the time the Patriarchs were buried here. Then King David preserved it so it could be remembered and venerated. This is evident in the fact that he built protective walls around Abraham's Altar at the Oaks of Mamre, which can still be seen today. So it's very likely he did the same here at this site. We must realize that Abraham and the Patriarchs are monumental in importance to God's master plan. So, this site was set aside and valued to an extent we find hard to understand. 4. So, throughout the Old Testament period, it would be venerated. Pottery and artifacts dating to King David's time, around 1000 BC, found in the caves support this. 5. Then Herod the Great, around 20 BC, built massive walls around the caves, including a floor about halfway up the walls covering the caves. This floor provided access from above down to the caves. Later, during the Muslim Period, access was closed off. Herod built the walls around the caves using the same building-stone style as the Temple Mount Platform and the structure he built a short distance to the north, at the Oaks of Mamre, where Abraham had built an altar. 6. After the time of Herod, during the Byzantine Period, around 325 AD, Christians built a Basilica Church on top of the floor inside the walls of the structure Herod built. 7. During the Muslim Period, around 650 AD, the basilica church and site were converted into a Mosque. During the 10th century, an entrance was pierced through the north-eastern wall, some distance above the external ground level, and steps from the north and east were built up to it. 8. In 1100 AD, after the Crusaders captured the area, the enclosure once again became a church. During this period, the Byzantines remodeled the church and other buildings, adding new gabled and vaulted roofs and elegant windows. Most of the internal buildings visible today date back to the Crusader period. 9. In 1188 AD, the Muslims once again conquered the area. At this time, they reconverted and remodeled the enclosure into a mosque, allowing Christians to continue worshipping there. The red-and-white building material seen today dates to this period. Saladin also added a minaret at each corner—two of which still survive. Samuel ben Samson visited the cave in 1210, and records that visitors wanting to see the original caves must descend by twenty-four steps in a passageway so narrow that the rock touches him on either hand. 10. Around 1320 AD, during the Muslim Mamluk period, cenotaphs were made for each of the Patriarchs and their wives. Cenotaph means tomb, memorial, or marker. These cenotaphs were evenly spaced out on the floor inside the structure. These markers are not directly over the tombs; instead, they serve as markers. Two side-by-side caves contain the tombs of all the Patriarchs and their wives. However, Abraham's tomb marker is directly over the caves. 11. From 1267 to 1967 AD, Jews were not allowed any access inside the structure. They were only allowed to approach as far as the seventh step of the southern stairway. 12. In 1967, the southern stair access was removed by the Israelis. However, you can still see evidence of it today. In summary, this site has been venerated for nearly 4,000 years. This is quite amazing. Discoveries of the Caves 1. There are many eyewitness accounts of those who have visited the caves below the floor of this structure today. These accounts span the period from approximately 325 to 1981 AD. The floor we are standing on was part of the original structure built by Herod the Great. So, you're standing on stones that are approximately 2,000 years old. The original caves lie beneath this floor. When Herod built the structure, he erected thick outer walls of protection with a floor about halfway up. Access to the caves was through this floor, down steps. 2. The word Machpelah means double or side by side. This refers to the two caves side by side, where the three patriarchs and their wives were buried. Access to the caves is currently not permitted. The caves have two entrances. One is a narrow shaft about 11 inches (28 centimeters) wide. The other, called the Serdab entrance, is much larger. Both the shaft and Serdab entrances are located in the Isaac and Rebeccah Hall area. 3. T he most recent accounts of Israelis entering the caves take place in 1968 and 1981. 4. In 1967, after the Six-Day War, the area fell into the hands of the Israel Defense Forces. In 1968, Moshe Dayan, the Defense Minister and an amateur archaeologist, attempted to regain access to the tombs. Unaware of the Serdab entrance, Dayan focused on the narrow shaft entrance visible below the decorative grate and decided to send someone thin enough to fit through the shaft and down into the chamber below. Dayan eventually found a slim 12-year-old girl named Michal to assist, sending her into the chamber with a camera. She saw some things underground but couldn't enter the caves because a rock blocked the entrance. 5. In 1981, Seev Jevin, the former director of the Israel Antiquities Authority, entered the caves by the Serdab access using chisels to remove the sealed-up entrance and discovered the square stone in the round chamber that concealed the cave entrance. Reports state that after entering the first cave, which seemed to Jevin to be empty, he found a passage leading to a second oval chamber, smaller than the first, that contained shards of pottery and a wine jug. Findings published in the Israel Exploration Journal in 2020 stated that the pottery dates back to the time of King David and the 8th century BC, originating from various locations in the Hebron and Jerusalem areas. The caves are located directly below the Cenotaph of Abraham. 6. In 1994, after a bloody massacre, the site was divided between Muslims and Jews to maintain peace. However, for a short time each year, the site is fully open to each group for ten days. 7. Christians are allowed to enter both the Muslim and Jewish areas. Places of Interest Outside the Building 1. Herod the Great built the building around 20 BC. Notice the large stones with the Herodian bosses. This same stone style appears at the Oaks of Mamre and throughout Jerusalem. 2. The enclosure measures approximately 59 by 34 meters (194 by 112 ft). 3. It originally enclosed an open space; later, they added roofs and worship halls. The medieval minarets are not from Herod's time, but were added during Muslim control. 4. The large monuments inside are cenotaphs—memorials representing those believed buried below. Ordinary visitors cannot enter the underground chambers. 5. Tel Hebron: Where King David built a palace and reigned over southern Israel for 7 1/2 years. 6. The building has separate Jewish and Muslim worship areas and entrances. Entering one side does not automatically give access to the other. The Hall of Isaac and Rebekah is part of the mosque section. 7. The story starts in Genesis 23. Sarah died at age 127 in Kiriath-arba, identified in the passage as Hebron. Abraham mourned her and negotiated with Ephron the Hittite for a burial property. 8. Abraham purchased the cave, its field, and the trees within its boundaries for 400 shekels of silver. This was weighed silver, not minted coins. The transaction was publicly witnessed. Sarah’s burial established the property as the family burial place. 9. God had promised Abraham the land, yet Abraham still lived as a sojourner and purchased a place to bury his wife. 10. The name Machpelah is associated with the idea of “double.” Later explanations connect this with the cave’s arrangement or with the couples buried there. Sites Inside the Jewish Side of the Building 1. Entrance 2. Jewish Synagogue Study Room The Jewish side of the building functions as an active synagogue, with regular Jewish prayer services, Torah readings, and individual prayer. It contains Torah scrolls, prayer books, and areas arranged for worship—not simply for viewing the memorials. 3. Courtyard Roof Over the Jewish Side of the Building It historically remained open to the sky. The Crusaders covered the Jewish side of the building around 1150 AD. Tarp cover in recent years. A new permanent roof was completed in September 2026, covering about 300 square meters (3,230 square ft). 4. Courtyard Roof Over the Muslim Side of the Building The roof over the main Muslim prayer hall—the Hall of Isaac and Rebekah—is primarily medieval, dating to the twelfth-century Crusader church. Its stone vaults were retained when the church became a mosque after Saladin’s recovery of Hebron in the late 1180s, and were repaired during the Mamluk period. 5. Jacob's Tomb Again, the modern tomb locations are not directly over the burial caves (except for Abraham). They are cenotaphs ( memorials representing those buried below). 6. Esau Memorial Jewish tradition connects this area with the burial of Esau’s head. Esau’s memorial is associated with a Jewish tradition that only his head was buried in the Cave of Machpelah. The story comes from later rabbinic writings; it is not recorded in the Bible. 7. Abraham's Tomb ~ On the opposite side is the Muslim viewing area. 8. Sarah's Tomb ~ On the opposite side is the Muslim viewing area. 9. Access doors to the Muslim side of the building where Isaac and Rebekah's tombs are. These open once a year, allowing access from one side to the other. 10. Inner Courtyard 11. Jacob Hall ~ Viewing area to see Leah's Tomb. 12. Leah's Tomb Sites Inside the Muslim Side of the Building 1. Entrance 2. Rebekah's Tomb 3. Isaac's Tomb 4. Serdab entrance leading down to the burial caves. 5. Candle-opening entrance leading down to the burial caves. 6. Access doors to the Jewish side of the building. Tel Hebron (Tel Rumeida) 1. Abraham’s Well 2. Ancient Stairs 3. Tomb of Jesse and Ruth (King David’s father and great-grandmother) 4. Old Olive Trees 5. Ancient Canaanite City Walls 6. The Canaanite wall overlaid by a glacis from the Israelite period. 7. Walls and a stone road from the time of Abraham. 8. Likely place of King David's Palace 9. Four-room structure from the time of King Hezekiah 10. Ancient Synagogue 11. Stepped street from the Early Roman period. 12. Pottery workshop from the Early Roman period. 13. Eastern ritual bath from the Early Roman period. 14. Western ritual bath from the Early Roman period. 15. New Excavations 16. Hebron Observatory Hebron in the Bible 1. After God affirmed His covenant with Abraham, he built an altar to the Lord nearby at Mamre. Genesis 13:17–18: Arise, walk about the land through its length and breadth; for I will give it to you.” 18 Then Abram moved his tent and came and dwelt by the oaks of Mamre, which are in Hebron , and there he built an altar to the Lord. 2. At Hebron, Abraham learned in a dream that his descendants would spend 400 years as slaves in Egypt. Genesis 15:12–14: Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, terror and great darkness fell upon him. 13 God said to Abram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years. 14 But I will also judge the nation whom they will serve, and afterward, they will come out with many possessions. 3. At Hebron, Ismael was born to Abraham and Sarah’s handmaid, Hagar (Gen. 16:4). 4. Near Hebron, God made a covenant with Abraham that he would be “the ancestor of a multitude of nations.” Genesis 17:1–8: When Abram was ninety-nine years old the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, 2 that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly.” 3 Then Abram fell on his face. And God said to him, 4 “Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. 5 No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. 6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you. 7 And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. 8 And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.” 5. At Hebron, Abraham offered hospitality to three servant angels of God and received the promise of a son. Genesis 18:10–14: They said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “She is in the tent.” 10 The LORD said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him. 11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah. 12 So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?” 13 The LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’ 14 Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.” 6. At Hebron, Abraham bought the Cave of Machpelah as a burial place for his wife, Sarah, and his family. Genesis 23:19: After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field at Machpelah facing Mamre (that is, Hebron ) in the land of Canaan. 7. Later, Abraham, Isaac, Rebecca, Jacob, and Leah would also be buried in the Cave of Machpelah. 8. Jacob returned to Hebron after he had sojourned in Paddan-aram. Genesis 35:27: Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre of Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron ), where Abraham and Isaac had sojourned. 9. Joseph was sent from Hebron to Shechem, where he would be sold into slavery and taken to Egypt. Genesis 37:14: Then he said to him, “Go now and see about the welfare of your brothers and the welfare of the flock, and bring word back to me.” So he sent him from the valley of Hebron , and he came to Shechem. 10. Near Hebron, two of the spies who researched the Promised Land returned with a large cluster of grapes. Numbers 13:21–23: So the men explored the land from the Desert of Zin to the border of Hamath. 22 They went through the Negev and came to Hebron , where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai lived. They are descendants of Anak. (Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) 23 When they came to the Eshcol Valley, they cut off a branch with only one bunch of grapes on it. They carried it on a pole between two of them. 11. Hebron was given to Caleb as an inheritance for his faithfulness to the Lord. Joshua 14:13–14: So Joshua blessed him and gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for an inheritance. 14 Therefore, Hebron became the inheritance of Caleb, the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite until this day, because he followed the Lord God of Israel fully. 12. Samson carried the gates of Gaza 35 miles (55 km) up to a mountain close to Hebron. Judges 16:1–3: But Samson lay till midnight, and at midnight he arose and took hold of the doors of the gate of the city and the two posts, and pulled them up, bar and all, and put them on his shoulders and carried them to the top of the hill that is in front of Hebron . 13. David was anointed king in Hebron and reigned here for 7 1/2 years (2 Sam. 2:1–4, 11). Faith Lesson from Hebron 1. God confirmed His promises and covenants with Abraham at Hebron and fulfilled them all. Do we believe in and embrace God's promises? 2. Caleb was one of the faithful spies who received Hebron as a reward. Are we as faithful as Caleb, and do we place our hope in our eternal home in heaven as our reward? 3. David was anointed king in Hebron because he was a person after God’s own heart. Do we love the Lord like David, and do we desire to serve Him in significant ways as David did?

See the Bible come to life as we take a look at a key event from the Scriptures that took place here. Here in Caesarea is where God gave the Holy Spirit to all mankind through Cornelius, a Gentile. Up until this time, God’s work was mainly focused on the Israelites. Caesarea Maritima: Holy Spirit Given to Gentiles Photo Gallery Places of Interest Caesarea Maritima: Holy Spirit Given to the Gentiles Introduction Welcome to the Holy Land and the biblical site of Caesarea. See the Bible come to life as we take a look at a key event from the Scriptures that took place here. Here in Caesarea, God gave the Holy Spirit to all mankind through Corne lius, a Gentile. Up until this time, God’s work was mainly focused on the Israelites. Here are some key points in this fascinating story to help us better understand it: Cornelius lived here in Caesarea He was a Gentile He was a high-ranking Roman Soldier in a prestigious position He and his family were devout and God-fearing people. He was certainly touched and moved by the Jewish faith and all he knew and saw about the true God of Israel. He gave generously to the needy and prayed regularly. In Acts 10, we find a fascinating story that begins with Cornelius receiving a vision and then asking the Apostle Peter to visit him and share the good news of the Gospel with him, his family, and his friends. Acts 10:1-8: “At Caesarea , there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. One day at about three in the afternoon, he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, "Cornelius!" Cornelius stared at him in fear. "What is it, Lord?" he asked. The angel answered, "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon, who is called Peter. He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea." When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants. He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa .” Right after Cornelius’ vision, God gives Peter a vision in Joppa. Acts 10:9-11: About noon the following day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners . In the meantime, several of Cornelius’ servants arrive at the house where Peter was staying. Acts 10:23-24: Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests. The next day Peter started out with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa went along. The following day he arrived in Caesarea . Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. Here at Caesarea, God gives the Holy Spirit to the Gentiles. Acts 10:34-48: Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right. You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached-- how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him. "We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen--by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name." While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said, "Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have." So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days. Faith Lesson God loves all people, regardless of their nationality. God is the one who searches and seeks the lost. Do I allow what I think about people to influence whether or not I share my faith with them? In the same way Peter went to share the Gospel with Cornelius, am I willing to go and share my faith with others? Do I know God’s Word well enough to share it rightly?

See all the places of Bethlehem, Rachel's Tomb, Naomi, Ruth, King David, Christ's Birth, the angels appearing to the shepherds announcing Christ's Birth, the Herodian Fortress, the Church of the Nativity, Shepherd's Fields, where King Herod killed the Children two years old and younger, and where David grew up as a shepherd boy. Bethlehem Overview Photo Gallery Places of Interest Bethlehem Overview Location 1. Bethlehem is located 6 miles (9 km.) south of Jerusalem. 2. In Bible times, Bethlehem was a farming area with grain fields, and sheep and goats grazed the hillsides. Amazingly, little has changed over the past 3,000 years. 3. It’s on the edge of the Judean Desert that lies to the southeast. 4. Bethlehem is in the West Bank but is very safe. Thousands visit its Christian sites each month with no issues. Historical Background 1. Bethlehem was a Canaanite village before the conquest of the Israelites in around 1406 BC. 2. It means ‘House of Bread.” Maybe this is so because many wheat and barley fields were in this area. Places of Interest 1. Rachel’s Tomb 2. Church of the Nativity 3. Shepherd’s Fields 4. Herodian Fortress 5. Grain fields 6. Hillsides for livestock to graze on 7. Deep ravine – Maybe the valley David had in mind when he wrote Psalm 23. Bethlehem in the Bible 1. Jacob’s wife, Rachel, died and was buried in Bethlehem. Genesis 35:16–20: Then they journeyed from Bethel. When they were still some distance from Ephrath [Bethlehem] , Rachel went into labor, and she had hard labor. 17 And when her labor was at its hardest, the midwife said to her, "Do not fear, for you have another son." 18 And as her soul was departing (for she was dying), she called his name Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin. 19 So Rachel died, and she was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem ), 20 and Jacob set up a pillar over her tomb. It is the pillar of Rachel's tomb, which is there to this day. 2. Naomi was from Bethlehem, but because of a famine in Israel, her husband and two sons moved to Moab. Ruth 1:1–2: In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land, and a man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons. 2 The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife, Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. 3. Naomi and Ruth returned from Moab to Bethlehem. Ruth 1:22: So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabite her daughter-in-law with her, who returned from the country of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest. 4. Ruth gleaned in the grain fields of Boaz in Bethlehem and then married Boaz (Boaz was the Great Grandfather of King David). Ruth 2:1–2: Now Naomi had a relative of her husband's, a worthy man of the clan of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz. 2 And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find favor.” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.” Ruth 4:13–17: So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And he went in to her, and the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son. 14 Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a redeemer, and may his name be renowned in Israel! 15 He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.” 16 Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap and became his nurse. 17 And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David . 5. King David was from Bethlehem, so it is also called the “City of David.” 1 Samuel 17:12: Now David was the son of an Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah, named Jesse, who had eight sons. In the days of Saul, the man was already old and advanced in years. 6. David grew up in Bethlehem as a shepherd. Being a shepherd was a lonely boring job that no one wanted. However, David put his time to good use and learned to play the harp, throw a sling, and grew to love the Lord. Many of the Psalms David wrote have their roots in the area around Bethlehem. 7. David was anointed king in Bethlehem. 1 Samuel 16:1: The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons. 1 Samuel 16:4 Samuel did what the Lord commanded and came to Bethlehem . 1 Samuel 16:6–7: When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord's anointed is before him.” 7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart .” 1 Samuel 16:11–13: Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but behold, he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down till he comes here.” 12 And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he .” 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward. 8. King Herod the Great built a huge fortress called the “Herodian” that was located just outside of Bethlehem. It was built for his protection and glory. 9. Bethlehem was the prophesied birthplace of Christ. Micah 5:2: But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. Luke 2:7: And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. 10. Angels appeared to shepherds watching their flocks by night in Bethlehem. L uke 2:8–16: And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. 10 And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger." 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!" 15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 11. Wise men (Magi) from the east visited and worshiped Christ in Bethlehem. Matthew 2:1: Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 12. King Herod had all the male children 2 years and younger murdered in his attempt to kill Christ. Matthew 2:16–18: Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. 17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: 18 "A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more." Faith Lesson from Bethlehem 1. Bethlehem means “House of Bread.” Jesus also refers to Himself as the Bread of life. 2. In the same way our bodies need bread to live, so our spirit needs Christ for nourishment and life. Are we feeding daily on God’s Word and walking moment by moment in dependence on Him? 3. We have many godly examples of people from Bethlehem who walked with God, i.e., Naomi, Ruth, Boaz, and David. 4. Today, they are in heaven rejoicing in God’s presence. Are we following their example and living for our eternal home as well? 5. David used his spare time shepherding wisely and learned many skills that He would eventually use to serve God. Are we developing our abilities to be better servants of Christ? 6. The Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart (1 Sam. 16:7). What kind of heart does God see in us?

Yardenit is just a couple hundred yards (meters) west of Hwy. 90, at the southern tip of the Sea of Galilee. It’s a popular spot, and the water is clean and abundant. For those desiring to get baptized here in the Jordan River, the Yardenit gift shop provides white robes and towels for a small fee. Yardenit Baptismal Site Photo Gallery Places of Interest Yardenit Baptismal Site Location There are two main baptismal sites on the Jordan River. Yardenit Baptismal Site 1. The Yardenit Baptismal Site is located on the Jordan River immediately south of the Sea of Galilee, where the Jordan begins flowing out of the lake toward the Dead Sea. It sits beside Kibbutz Kinneret, just south of Tiberias. The Hebrew name Yardenit comes from Yarden, the Hebrew name for the Jordan River, and can be understood as “Little Jordan.” 2. It’s a popular spot, and the water is clean and abundant. 3. For those desiring to get baptized here in the Jordan River, the Yardenit gift shop provides white robes and towels for a small fee. 4. Yardenit has a large gift shop for the purchase of souvenirs and other miscellaneous items as well. 5. Yardenit is also a great place to view the Jordan River. 6. Entrance to the site is free. Jordan River Baptismal Site of Jesus (Qasr al-Yahud) 1. This Baptismal site is located about 2 miles (3.2 km) east of Hwy 90, across from Jericho. 2. It’s also known as Qaser al-Yahud, Kasser al-Yahud, and the Baptismal Site of Jesus. 3. It’s the place where it’s believed Jesus was baptized, and where John the Baptist and the disciples of Jesus baptized many people as well. 4. The water is not as clean as Yardenit, but thousands of pilgrims are baptized there each year because of its spiritual significance. 5. It’s also the believed location where the Israelites crossed the Jordan River to enter the Promised Land. For more about the Baptismal Site of Jesus at Qasr al-Yahud, click here Yardenit Places of Interest 1. Yardenit Baptismal Site 2. Jordan River 3. Parking area 4. Hwy. 90 5. Sea of Galilee Historical Background 1. Why Yardenit Was Established Yardenit is actually a modern baptismal site, not an ancient Christian holy place. It was built in 1981 by Kibbutz Kinneret with the assistance and support of Israel's Ministry of Tourism. Its purpose was to provide Christian pilgrims with a safe, organized, and easily accessible place to be baptized in the Jordan River. The need for a new baptismal site dates back to the Six-Day War of 1967. The traditional baptismal area of Jesus, farther south on the Jordan River, near Jericho, became part of a sensitive military border zone. The western bank site known as Qasr al-Yahud was largely inaccessible to ordinary pilgrims for decades. Because Christian pilgrims continued to arrive in Israel seeking baptism in the Jordan, Yardenit was developed in the Galilee as a safe alternative. 2. Was Jesus Baptized at Yardenit? Yardenit is not generally considered the historical site of Jesus' baptism. The Gospels say that Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan and was baptized by him (Matthew 3:13–17; Mark 1:9–11; Luke 3:21–22). John 1:28 associates John's ministry with “Bethany beyond the Jordan.” Ancient Christian tradition, along with the Bible, places Jesus' baptism much farther south, in the Jordan Valley near Jericho and the Dead Sea. Today, this traditional area is represented by Qasr al-Yahud on the western bank and Al-Maghtas/Bethany Beyond the Jordan on the eastern bank in Jordan. The Israel Nature and Parks Authority likewise identifies Qasr al-Yahud with the traditional location of Jesus' baptism. So when baptisms take place at Yardenit today, the significance is not that Christians believe they are standing on the exact spot where Jesus was baptized. Rather, they are being baptized in the same Jordan River connected with the biblical story of Jesus and John the Baptist. Growth into a Major Christian Pilgrimage Site Since opening in 1981, Yardenit has developed into one of the best-known Christian pilgrimage destinations in the Galilee. The site was deliberately designed to accommodate large numbers of visitors, with landscaped riverbanks, steps and railings descending into the Jordan, changing facilities, and separate areas where different churches and tour groups can conduct baptism services. Yardenit says that more than half a million pilgrims and visitors come each year. One of its distinctive features is the Wall of New Life, which runs along the river toward the baptismal pools. It contains panels displaying the Gospel account of Jesus' baptism in scores of languages and dialects, reflecting the international character of the Christian pilgrims who come here. Biblical Importance of the Jordan River Even though Yardenit itself is modern, the Jordan River has enormous biblical importance. Israel crossed the Jordan into the Promised Land under Joshua (Joshua 3–4); Elijah and Elisha crossed the river shortly before Elijah was taken up to heaven (2 Kings 2:6–14); Naaman washed seven times in the Jordan and was healed of leprosy (2 Kings 5:10–14); and John the Baptist called Israel to repentance and baptized people in the Jordan before baptizing Jesus. The most important New Testament event associated with the river is: Matthew 3:16–17: “After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water... and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased .’” Jesus' baptism marked the beginning of His public ministry and revealed a remarkable picture of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit together—the Son standing in the water, the Spirit descending like a dove, and the Father's voice coming from heaven. Baptism in the Bible 1. The concept of baptism is rooted in the Old Testament. As far back as Genesis, eight people were saved from the great flood of God’s judgment. The Apostle Peter indicated that the water of the flood “symbolizes baptism that now saves you” (1 Pet. 3:21). 2. Old Testament prophets such as Isaiah, Ezekiel, and King David likewise used water as an external symbol for internal cleansing (Isa. 1:16: Ezek. 36:25; Ps. 51:2). Isaiah 1:16: Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil. 3. The word baptize, baptized, baptizing, or baptismal is mentioned around 83 times in the New Testament and, therefore, shows the value God places on it. For the full Bible teaching on baptism, please see the Jordan River Baptismal Site of Jesus: Qsar al-Yahud Baptismal Site Faith lesson 1. The importance of baptism is ultimately not the particular stretch of river in which it takes place, but the One with whom baptism identifies us. As Paul writes in Romans 6:4, believers are buried with Christ through baptism so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead, “we too might walk in newness of life.” 2. If you have not been baptized, then it is an important step of obedience that should be done at your earliest convenience. 3. Baptism does not save us, but it is commanded by God, as it tells others and ourselves that we have believed in Christ for salvation and are identifying as a child of God. 4. In the same way Jesus died, was buried, and rose from the dead, we too, through baptism, believe that we have died to sin, have buried our old life in the grave, and are rising to live a new life in Christ.

The Mount of Olives played a unique role in the Bible. See all the places and learn about them here. Kidron Valley (Jehoshaphat), Garden of Gethsemane, Mary’s Tomb, Church of Mary Magdalene, Church of Dominus Flevit, Triumphal Entry Path, Bethphage, Triumphal Entry, Tomb of Lazarus, Chapel of the Ascension, Pater Noster Church, Absalom’s Monument, Tomb of the Prophets (Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi). Mount of Olives Photo Gallery Places of Interest Mount of Olives Location The Mount of Olives is located just opposite the Temple Mount on the east side of Old City Jerusalem. Historical Background 1. The Mount of Olives has played a significant role in the Bible. 2. It is from where Christ ascended back to heaven. 3. It is where Christ, along with all believers, will return to at Christ’s second coming. Places of Interest 1. Russian Orthodox Church of the Ascension 2. Chapel of the Ascension 3. Pater Noster Church (where Christ taught the Lord’s Prayer) 4. Mount of Olives Overlook 5. Tomb of Lazarus (backside of the Mount of Olives) 6. Bethphage (beginning place of the Triumphal Entry) 7. Triumphal Entry Path 8. Tomb of the Prophets (Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi) 9. 3,000-year-old cemetery with 150,000 Gravesites 10. Dominus Flevit Church (where Christ wept over Jerusalem) 11. Church of Mary Magdalene 12. Garden of Gethsemane 13. Cave of Gethsemane 14. Mary’s Tomb (mother of Jesus) 15. Kidron Valley (Valley of Jehoshaphat) 16. Temple Mount 17. Eastern Gate Mount of Olives in the Bible 1. When King David’s son, Absalom, tried to take over the kingship, David ascended the Mount of Olives as he fled Jerusalem. 2 Samuel 15:30: But David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, barefoot and with his head covered. And all the people who were with him covered their heads, and they went up, weeping as they went. 2. It’s where Jesus regularly stayed when He ministered in Jerusalem. Luke 21:37: And every day he was teaching in the temple, but at night he went out and lodged on the mount called Olivet. 3. It’s the believed place where Christ taught His disciples to pray after visiting Mary and Martha’s home in Bethany (Pater Noster Church). Luke 11:1: One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” 4. On the backside of the Mount of Olives (at Bethany), Christ raised Lazarus from the dead. John 11:32–36: Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. 34 And he said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to him, "Lord, come and see." 35 Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews said, "See how he loved him!" 5. Jesus descended the Mount of Olives during His Triumphal Entry (Triumphal Entry Path). Luke 19:35–38: And they brought it [colt of a donkey] to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. 36 And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. 37 As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, 38 saying, "Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!" 6. Christ wept over Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives (Church of Dominus Flevit). Luke 19:41–44: And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, 42 saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side 44 and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation. 7. The Garden of Gethsemane, located at the base of the Mount of Olives, is where the suffering of Christ began. Christ’s sweat became like drops of blood. Luke 22:39–44: And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. 40 And when he came to the place, he said to them, "Pray that you may not enter into temptation." 41 And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42 saying, "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done." 43 And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. 44 And being in an agony, he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. Peter cut off the ear of the High Priest’s guard. Christ was arrested, and the disciples fled. 8. Christ’s return and the destruction of Jerusalem were foretold from the Mount of Olives. Matthew 24:3: As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?" 9. On the top of the Mount of Olives is where Christ ascended back to heaven (Chapel of the Ascension). Acts 1:9–11: And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven." 10. On top of the Mount of Olives is where Christ will return at the end of the Tribulation Period. Matthew 24:29–31: Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Zechariah 14:4: On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley, so that one half of the Mount shall move northward, and the other half southward. 11. At the base of the Mount of Olives lies the Kidron Valley (Valley of Jehoshaphat) where Christ will judge unbelievers at the end of the Tribulation Period. Joel 3:2: I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. And I will enter into judgment with them there, on behalf of my people and my heritage Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations and have divided up my land. Revelation 14:19–20: So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20 And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as a horse's bridle, for 1,600 stadia [200 miles, or 300 kilometers]. Faith Lesson from the Mount of Olives 1. Christ’s return on the Mount of Olives is where everything culminates and flips. Righteousness becomes dominant and evil bows its knees. 2. We will return with Christ in power and great glory. What hope believers have in Christ. 3. We will reign with Christ for 1,000 years from Jerusalem during Christ’s Millennial Reign. 4. Because of our hope as believers, are we motivated to serve Christ and live for Him?

Videos About Biblical Bethel In Israel. Only Jerusalem is mentioned more than Bethel in the Bible. Bethel (Beit El) is an amazing place. Bethel (also called Luz) is in the Samaria region about 10 miles (17 km.) north of Jerusalem. Bethel stood at several main crossroads in Israel. It was on the main north-south road that passed through the central hill country from Hebron in the south to Shechem in the north, and it was on the main east-west route leading from Jericho to the Mediterranean Sea. Bethel (Beit El) Overview Photo Gallery Places of Interest Bethel Introduction There were three locations at Bethel where significant events in the Bible occurred. 1. Lower place east of the town of Bethel. This is where Abraham built one of the first altars mentioned in the Bible, and there he “invoked the name of the Lord.” After Abraham fled to Egypt to escape a famine in the Holy Land, he returned to the same place near Bethel and invoked the name of the Lord once more. 2. High Place west of Bethel While fleeing from his brother Esau, Jacob stopped for the night at Bethel, where he had a dream. Bethel was a place where the Tabernacle resided for some time during the period of the Judges. After the Kingdom of Israel was divided, Jeroboam, the king of the northern kingdom, set up golden calves in Bethel and Dan. 3. Town of Bethel. Jacob moved to Bethel to live after he returned to the Holy Land. God spoke to him and changed his name from Jacob to Israel. Location 1. Bethel (originally called Luz in the Bible) is in the hill country of the Samaria region, about 10 miles (17 km) north of Jerusalem. 2. Bethel stood at several main crossroads in Israel. It lay on the main north-south road through the central hill country, from Hebron in the south to Shechem in the north, and on the main east-west route from Jericho to the Mediterranean Sea. 3. In addition to the main city of Bethel, which today is called Baytin or Beit El, there are two other key sites close to the main city of Bethel. The first is the original place where Abraham and Jacob pitched their tents and erected altars. It lies just outside Bethel, to the east, a short distance away. The second is the high place of worship. It's about 1.5 miles (2.5 km) north of the main city of Bethel. It's one of the highest places in Israel, sitting at an elevation of 2,900 ft. (886 m.). For this reason, it was a place of worship for both God and false gods. It's believed the tabernacle resided here for some time during the period of the Judges, and it was where Jeroboam set up one of his Golden-Calf altars after the Kingdom of Israel divided. Today, the Israeli government recognizes this high place of worship as the Khalom Ya'akov Antiquities Site. It's fenced and secured. Historical Background 1. Bethel is mentioned sixty times in the Bible, representing over thirty distinct stories and prophecies, all found in the Old Testament. Only Jerusalem is mentioned more times than Bethel. 2. Bethel means “House of God.” 3. The site of Bethel, the nearby sites of Abraham and Jacob, and the high place are all holy to Christians, Jews, and Muslims. They have artifacts, buildings, tombs, and ruins pertaining to each religion. Places of Interest 1. The site where Abraham and Jacob pitched their tents and built altars. Ruins at this site provide strong evidence that Abraham and Jacob pitched their tents here and built altars. Later, a Byzantine church was erected here, marking this spot. Jerome (347-420 AD), an early Christian leader, confirms this. He wrote: "There is also a church built where Jacob slept as he passed to Mesopotamia." 2. The original city of Bethel. This site was once excavated, revealing walls, buildings, and the remains of ancient Bethel. Local residents have since abandoned it and filled it in. However, some remains can still be seen in various places. 3. The high place of worship. 1. A flat stone area where it's believed Jacob slept and had his dream of a ladder going up to heaven. 2. A 1,000-year-old oak tree and other ancient trees (trees were never cut at holy sites). 3. The foundational walls and column fragments of the 4th–6th-century Byzantine basilica directly underlie the vaulted Crusader-era chapel and the later Islamic prayer room (Maqam Sheikh Abdallah). 4. Crusader Chapel - Built over the Byzantine churches. 5. Muslim Prayer Shrine - Built over the Byzantine churches. 6. Ancient walls around the high place. 7. Towers of protection – these would have been used during times of war between Judah and Israel after the nation divided. 8. Burial Tombs 9. Cave with an olive press that Jews use today as a type of small synagogue study area. 10. Ruins of a foundation measuring the exact size of the tabernacle. 11. Jeroboam’s Golden-Calf Altar Bethel in the Bible 1. It was near Bethel that Abraham built one of the first altars mentioned in the Bible, and there he “invoked the name of the Lord.” Genesis 12:8: From there he moved to the hill country on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. And there he built an altar to the LORD and called upon the name of the LORD. 2. After Abraham fled to Egypt to escape a famine in the Holy Land, he returned to the same place near Bethel, and once again invoked the name of the Lord. Genesis 13:2–4: Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. 3 And he journeyed on from the Negev as far as Bethel to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, 4 to the place where he had made an altar at the first. And there Abram called upon the name of the LORD. 3. When Jacob was fleeing from his brother Esau, he stopped for the night at Bethel, where he had a dream. Genesis 28:10–22: Jacob left Beersheba and went toward Haran. 11 And he came to a certain place and stayed there that night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place to sleep. 12 And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! 13 And behold, the LORD stood above it and said, “I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. 14 Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 15 Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” 16 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it.” 17 And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.” 18 So early in the morning Jacob took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. 19 He called the name of that place Bethel , but the name of the city was Luz at the first. 20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, 21 so that I come again to my father's house in peace, then the LORD shall be my God, 22 and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God's house. And of all that you give me I will give a full tenth to you.” 4. When Jacob was in Paddan-aram, God told him to return to the land of Israel. Genesis 31:13: I am the God of Bethel , where you anointed a pillar, where you made a vow to Me; now arise, leave this land, and return to the land of your birth. 5. After Jacob returned to the Holy Land, he moved to Bethel to live. God spoke to him and changed his name from Jacob to Israel. Genesis 35:1: Then God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and live there, and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.” Genesis 35:9-15: Then God appeared to Jacob again when he came from Paddan-aram, and He blessed him. 10 God said to him, "Your name is Jacob; You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel shall be your name.” Thus, He called him Israel. 11 God also said to him, “I am God Almighty; be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall come forth from you. 12 The land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac, I will give it to you, and I will give the land to your descendants after you.” 13 Then God went up from him in the place where He had spoken with him. 14 Jacob set up a pillar in the place where He had spoken with him, a pillar of stone, and he poured out a drink offering on it; he also poured oil on it. 15 So Jacob named the place where God had spoken with him, Bethel . 6. Bethel was a place where the Tabernacle resided for some time during the period of the Judges. Judges 20:26–27: Then all the people of Israel, the whole army, went up and came to Bethel and wept. They sat there before the LORD and fasted that day until evening, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. 27 And the people of Israel inquired of the LORD (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days ). 7. After the Kingdom of Israel was divided, Jeroboam, the king of the northern kingdom, set up golden calves in Bethel and Dan. 1 Kings 12:26–29: And Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now the kingdom will turn back to the house of David. 27 If this people go up to offer sacrifices in the temple of the Lord at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn again to their lord, to Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will kill me and return to Rehoboam king of Judah.” 28 So the king took counsel and made two calves of gold. And he said to the people, “You have gone up to Jerusalem long enough. Behold your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.” 29 And he set one in Bethel , and the other he put in Dan. 8. God warned Jeroboam about erecting the golden calves at Bethel. Jeroboam’s arm withered and was then restored by a prophet to show Jeroboam that God was serious about his great sin. However, Jeroboam did not heed God’s warning (1 Kings 13:1–34). 9. The continual disobedience of Jeroboam and the succeeding kings sealed the fate of Bethel. By the time of Jesus’ birth, Bethel had faded into obscurity and was not mentioned in the New Testament. 10. Josiah, a righteous king, destroyed the Golden-Calf Altar that Jeroboam had erected at Bethel. 2 Kings 23:15: Moreover, the altar at Bethel , the high place erected by Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, that altar with the high place he pulled down and burned, reducing it to dust. He also burned the Asherah. 11. Just before Elijah ascended to heaven, he and Elisha were in Bethel. 2 Kings 2:1–3: Now when the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. 2 And Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel .” But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. 3 And the sons of the prophets who were in Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the Lord will take away your master from over you?” And he said, “Yes, I know it; keep quiet.” 12. After Assyria conquered and exiled the Northern Kingdom of Israel, the king of Assyria sent one of the captured Israelite priests back to Bethel to teach the people from other nations who lived in Israel how to worship Yahweh, the true and living God (2 Kings 17:24–41). Faith Lesson from Bethel 1. Bethel was a place of two different kinds of responses to God. It was a place where Abraham and Jacob had special encounters with God and worshiped Him, and where the Ark of the Covenant dwelt, representing God's presence and glory. Unfortunately, it also represents a place of disobedience to God and the worship of false gods and idols. 2. We could learn a great lesson from this biblical site of Bethel. 3. Are we going to be like those who worshiped and obeyed God, or like those who disobeyed and worshiped their own desires and plans?

See the miraculous events of the Exodus route the Israelites took from Egypt, the location of the Red Sea Crossing, and the location of Mt. Sinai in Arabia. Places of interest include 1. Egypt 2. Goshen 3. Suez Finger of the Red Sea 4. Traditional Red Sea Crossing Place 5. Sinai Peninsula 6. Aqaba Finger of Red Sea 7. Nuweiba Beach 8. Saudi Arabia Beach 9. Red Sea Crossing 10. Marah 11. Elim 12. Magna Oasis 13. Wilderness of Sin 14. Caves of Jethro 15. Rephidim 16. Mount Sinai The Exodus, Red Sea Crossing, & Mt. Sinai Photo Gallery Places of Interest The Exodus, Red Sea Crossing, & Mt. Sinai Location 1. For many years it was believed that the Israelites crossed the Suez finger of the Red Sea just southeast of what is now Cairo, Egypt. However, there are no deep bodies of water in these areas but just shallow marshes and lakes. For this reason, the biblical account of this astounding miracle has been attempted to be discredited or erased altogether by liberal scholars. 2. Many recent archeologists and scholars now believe the Israelites crossed the Red Sea at the Aqaba finger of the Red Sea and that Mount Sinai is in Midian, which is part of modern-day Saudi Arabia. Historical Background 1. God called Abraham and promised him He would make a great nation out of his offspring. Abraham obeyed and left everything to follow God. 2. Abraham birthed Isaac, who birthed Jacob, who birthed 12 sons. God changed Jacob’s name to Israel. 3. Jacob and his 12 sons moved to Egypt according to God’s sovereign plan (about 70–75 total people). 4. The Israelites spent 430 years in Egypt (30 years as free people under Joseph and 400 years as slaves). During this time, they grew into a nation of around 2.5 to 3 million people. 5. God performed a miraculous deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt by performing 10 amazing miracles. 6. The last miracle, known as the Passover, happened when God killed the firstborn of all the Egyptians who did not put the blood of a lamb over the doorposts of their homes. Places of Interest 1. Egypt 2. Goshen 3. Suez Finger of the Red Sea 4. Traditional Red Sea Crossing Place 5. Sinai Peninsula 6. Aqaba Finger of Red Sea 7. Nuweiba Beach 8. Saudi Arabia Beach 9. Red Sea Crossing 10. Marah 11. Elim 12. Magna Oasis 13. Wilderness of Sin 14. Caves of Jethro 15. Rephidim 16. Mount Sinai The Exodus, Red Sea Crossing, and Mount Sinai in the Bible 1. How many Israelites left Egypt and crossed the Red Sea? Exodus 12:37: Now the sons of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, aside from children. Using the number of 600,000 men only, we can estimate that there were probably 2.5 to 3 million Israelites. 2. How many Egyptian soldiers were chasing them? Exodus 14:6–7: So he made his chariot ready and took his people with him; 7 and he took six hundred select chariots, and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them. According to Josephus, a historian writer, there were 50,000 horsemen and 200,000 footmen, all armed. 3. Did the Israelites cross the Red Sea by Egypt? It has been generally believed for many years that the Israelites crossed the Suez finger of the Red Sea just east of Cairo, Egypt. However, the sea is not very deep there so many have discredited the biblical miracle by claiming the Israelites crossed in shallow marshes of water. It should be noted that over the years, no archaeological evidence has supported this Red Sea crossing location. It also would have been virtually impossible for such a large army to drown in the shallow lakes and marshes in this area. 4. Over the past several decades, substantial archeological investigation shows convincing evidence for a different location for the Red Sea crossing. The new location places the crossing at Nuweiba Beach on the Aqaba finger of the Red Sea about 40 miles (64 km.) south of Eilat, Israel. 5. God said he brought the Israelites out of Egypt on the very same day they left. Exodus 12:51: And on that same day the Lord brought the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their hosts. The Red Sea crossing happened after they had left Egypt. The border of Egypt at that time was the Suez finger of the Red Sea. Any place the Israelites would have crossed the sea in this area they would still have been in Egypt and not outside of it. 6. The Suez finger of the Red Sea is about 72 miles (116 km.) south of Goshen (place where the Israelites lived and departed Egypt). However, the land directly east of Goshen is dry and easily crossable. The Israelites had exited Egypt on the same day they left. The route directly east of Goshen would have allowed them to leave Egypt on dry ground. Afterward, they would have been in the wilderness of Sinai, which fits well with the biblical narrative, as we will see in the next point. 7. Scripture strongly indicates that the Israelites traveled a long time through a wilderness before crossing the Red Sea. Exodus 13:18-22: Hence, God led the people around by the way of the wilderness to the Red Sea ; and the sons of Israel went up in martial array from the land of Egypt. 19 Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear, saying, “God will surely take care of you, and you shall carry my bones from here with you.” 20 Then they set out from Succoth and camped in Etham on the edge of the wilderness. 21 The Lord was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night . 22 He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people. These verses clearly reveal that the Israelites walked a long way traveling both day and night through a wilderness before crossing the Red Sea. Because the miracle of the Red Sea crossing happened several days after the Exodus, it couldn’t have happened at the Suez finger of the Red Sea because Goshen is just 20 miles (32 km.) from the sea, a distance of just a few hours walk. Moreover, between Goshen and the believed traditional crossing place of the Red Sea is not a wilderness. The Sinai Peninsula is a wilderness that would fit the biblical narrative of the Israelites traveling by day and by night before crossing the sea. Research shows that a person could cross the Sinai Peninsula in 3 days traveling day and night at a normal walking pace of just 3 or so miles an hour. Scripture also says that there were no feeble ones among them and that God carried them supernaturally on eagle’s wings during their exodus. These factors provide more evidence that the Israelites could have easily crossed the Sinai Peninsula and arrived at the Aqaba finger of the Red Sea at Nuweiba Beach. Meaning of Yam Suph Now the reason some believe that the Israelites crossed the Sea close-by to Egypt is because of how the Hebrew words Yam Suph, and specifically, Suph is translated. The translation of the word Yam means sea, or large body of water, and Suph mainly means end, edge, shoreline, red, and a few times as reeds. Therefore, some believe the Israelites crossed just east of Egypt because there are many shallow waters with reeds there. However, the words Yam Suph together are mentioned 24 times in the Old Testament, with 7 of them referring to specific locations which are around the Aqaba finger of the Red Sea and not by Egypt. For example, in Exodus 23:31, the word is used to describe the boundary of Israel going from the Aqaba northern tip of the Red Sea by Eilat to the Sea of the Philistines which would be the Mediterranean Sea. In 1 Kings 9:26, Yam Suph refers again to the northern tip of the Aqaba Finger of the Red Sea and is where Solomon had a fleet of ships stationed at Eloth, which is modern-day Eilat. Therefore, the term Yam Suph does not only mean reeds and refer to the area east of Egypt. The term is mainly used of the Aqaba finger of the Red Sea. Taking this into account, the Aqaba Finger of the Red Sea is referred to as Yam Suph as well in the Bible. 8. There has been found in the Aqaba finger of the Red Sea at Nuweiba Beach amazing evidence of coral growth on objects that look like old chariot wheels, axles, etc. These same objects have also been found on the shore across from Nuweiba Beach on the Saudi Arabian side of the Red Sea. Coral doesn’t grow in sandy areas and must have some object to grow on. The Red Sea is very sandy from Nuweiba Beach to the Saudi Arabian shore, so there’s no reason coral would grow in this area unless there were foreign objects for it to grow on. 9. Nuweiba Beach is very large and could have easily accommodated the 3 million or so Israelites. The beach at Nuweiba is large, flat, and sandy, a perfect place for the 2.5 to 3 million Israelites to camp. 10. The ocean floor of the Red Sea by Nuweiba Beach gradually goes down and then gradually goes up to the shore of Saudi Arabia. Just north or south of this area, there are deep impassible ravines on the ocean floor. The Nuweiba Beach location is the only place on the Aqaba finger of the Red Sea that would have allowed the Israelites to cross. It seems reasonable to suggest that God, in His sovereignty, divinely created this sandy, gradual crossing place for the Israelites to use for this magnanimous miracle. The maximum depth of the ocean floor at this crossing place is about 2,500 ft. deep (762 m.). This fits the biblical narrative that God divided the “mighty waters” of the sea. Exodus 14:29: But the sons of Israel walked on dry land through the midst of the sea , and the waters were like a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. Exodus 15:10: You blew with Your wind, the sea covered them; They sank like lead in the mighty waters . Isaiah 51:10: Was it not You who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep ; who made the depths of the sea a pathway for the redeemed to cross over? The shallow lakebeds and marshes by Egypt were certainly not waters of the great deep. 11. Solomon referred to the Aqaba finger of the Red Sea, and archaeological discoveries have found two pillars he erected on each side of the Red Sea crossing. 1 Kings 9:26: King Solomon also built a fleet of ships in Ezion-geber, which is near Eloth [modern-day Eilat] on the shore of the Red Sea , in the land of Edom. At Nuweiba Beach, and on the beach of Saudi Arabia across from Nuweiba Beach, are pillars Solomon erected marking the crossing of the Red Sea by the Israelites. 12. When the Israelites arrived at the location of Nuweiba Beach, they were certainly hemmed in as Scripture says. Exodus 14:1–3: Then the Lord said to Moses, 2 “Tell the people of Israel to turn back and encamp in front of Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea , in front of Baal-zephon; you shall encamp facing it, by the sea . 3 For Pharaoh will say of the people of Israel, ‘They are wandering in the land; the wilderness has shut them in .’” The landscape at Nuweiba Beach is unique and mountainous and would fit the biblical narrative. 13. As a result of being hemmed in and threatened by the Egyptian army, the Israelites cried out to Moses in anger and desperation. Exodus 14:13-14: But Moses said to the people, “Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever. 14 The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent.” 14. Then the hand of God performed one of the greatest miracles ever recorded in Scripture. Exodus 14:15-31: Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the sons of Israel to go forward. 16 As for you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, and the sons of Israel shall go through the midst of the sea on dry land. 17 As for Me, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them; and I will be honored through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. 18 Then the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord, when I am honored through Pharaoh, through his chariots and his horsemen.” 19 The angel of God, who had been going before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them. 20 So it came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel; and there was the cloud along with the darkness, yet it gave light at night. Thus, the one did not come near the other all night. 21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord swept the sea back by a strong east wind all night and turned the sea into dry land, so the waters were divided. 22 The sons of Israel went through the midst of the sea on the dry land, and the waters were like a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. 23 Then the Egyptians took up the pursuit, and all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots and his horsemen went in after them into the midst of the sea. 24 At the morning watch, the Lord looked down on the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud and brought the army of the Egyptians into confusion. 25 He caused their chariot wheels to swerve, and He made them drive with difficulty; so the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from Israel, for the Lord is fighting for them against the Egyptians.” 26 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may come back over the Egyptians, over their chariots and their horsemen.” 27 So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal state at daybreak, while the Egyptians were fleeing right into it; then the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea . 28 The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen, even Pharaoh’s entire army that had gone into the sea after them; not even one of them remained. 29 But the sons of Israel walked on dry land through the midst of the sea , and the waters were like a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. 30 Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31 When Israel saw the great power which the Lord had used against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in His servant Moses. The entire Egyptian army drowned in the sea, and if the army was around 250,000, this couldn’t have happened in the shallow marshes east of Egypt. So it had to occur in a wide and deep body of water. 15. After crossing the Red Sea, the Bible says the Israelites then traveled to Mount Sinai. Does the location of Mount Sinai in Saudi Arabia, which was biblical Midian, fit the biblical narrative? When Moses fled to Egypt, to save his life, Scripture says he went to Midian. Exodus 2:15: When Pharaoh heard of this matter, he tried to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the presence of Pharaoh and settled in the land of Midian , and he sat down by a well. Midian is in Saudi Arabia, not in the Sinai Peninsula. Galatians 4:25: Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. When God appeared to Moses in a burning bush at Mount Sinai, God said that Moses would bring the people out of Egypt and worship at the same Mount Sinai (also known as Mount Horeb). Moses was in Midian when this event occurred, so it seems very convincing that Mount Sinai is in Midian. Exodus 3:1–2: Now Moses was pasturing the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian ; and he led the flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God . 2 The angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed. Exodus 3:12: And He said, “Certainly I will be with you, and this shall be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God at this mountain .” 17. Evidence from the places the Israelites camped on their way from the Red Sea crossing to Mount Sinai supports Mount Sinai's location in Midian. Location of Elim Exodus 15:27: Then they came to Elim where there were twelve springs of water and seventy date palms, and they camped there beside the waters. The location of Elim has been identified in Saudi Arabia, about 26 miles (42 km.) south of the Red Sea crossing. Magna Oasis We then find in Numbers 33:10 that the Israelites then journeyed from Elim and camped by the Red Sea. Now we have strong and convincing evidence of where Elim is so taking into consideration the geography of the land, the most obvious place would have been south of Elim a bit at the modern-day location of Magna Oasis by the Red Sea. You can see that this is a large area with plenty of water that would fit the biblical requirements for this place. There is also a well here called by the Saudis as the well of Moses. Wilderness of Sin From the Israelites’ encampment by the Red Sea, which we believe is modern-day Magna Oasis, Numbers 33:11-14 tells us they traveled to the Wilderness of Sin. Now the name Wilderness of Sin does not refer to something sinful but is just a name. It says: And they journeyed from the Red Sea and camped in the wilderness of Sin. It appears they backtracked to Elim and then went to the Wilderness of Sin from there. Exodus 16:1-3 provides the details: Then they set out from Elim, and all the congregation of the sons of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departure from the land of Egypt. 2 But the whole congregation of the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. 3 The sons of Israel said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat, when we ate bread until we were full; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this entire assembly with hunger!” At the encampment at the Wilderness of Sin, several major events would take place. Because the Israelites grumbled against God, He supernaturally gave the Israelites Manna; of which they would eat until the day they entered the Promised Land some 40 plus years later. He provided quail, of which they became sick on, and then He instituted the Sabbath Day. Caves of Jethro There are caves named after Jethro the Midianite (Moses’ father-in-law) that have been found by the route the Israelites took from the Red Sea crossing to Mount Sinai. This shows that Jethro lived in this area and that it was the land of Midian at that time. Split Rock at Rephidim Exodus 17:1: Then all the congregation of the sons of Israel journeyed by stages from the wilderness of Sin, according to the command of the Lord, and camped at Rephidim , and there was no water for the people to drink. Exodus 17:6: Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it , that the people may drink.” This rock at Rephidim is believed to have been found. It is a large rock that is split from top to bottom and shows water grooves where massive amounts of water ran down from it. 18. Evidence for the location of Mount Sinai in Midian. 1. Large area to camp at the base of the mountain. Exodus 19:2: When they set out from Rephidim, they came to the wilderness of Sinai and camped in the wilderness; and there Israel camped in front of the mountain. 2. Burnt top of the mountain and surrounding mountains. Exodus 19:18: Now Mount Sinai was all in smoke because the Lord descended upon it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked violently. 3. Plateau partway up the mountain where the seventy elders could have worshiped while Moses continued up the mountain. Exodus 24:1: Then He said to Moses, “Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and you shall worship at a distance. 4. Altar of Moses at the base of the mountain. Exodus 24:4: And Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord. Then he got up early in the morning, and built an altar [b]at the foot of the mountain with twelve memorial stones for the twelve tribes of Israel. 5. Speaking platform partway up the mountain. Exodus 24:3: Then Moses came and reported to the people all the words of the Lord and all the ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words which the Lord has spoken we will do!” 6. Golden Calf Altar. Exodus 32:1: Now when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people assembled around Aaron and said to him, “Come, make us a god who will go before us; for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt—we do not know what happened to him.” 7. Streams of water and dry lakebed at the base of the mountain. Exodus 32:19-20: And it came about, as soon as Moses approached the camp, that he saw the calf and the people dancing; and Moses’ anger burned, and he threw the tablets from his hands and shattered them to pieces at the foot of the mountain. 20 Then he took the calf which they had made and completely burned it with fire, and ground it to powder, and scattered it over the surface of the water and made the sons of Israel drink it. 8. Wells at the base of the mountain. 9. Massive graveyard close by to the mountain. Exodus 32:27-28: And he said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: ‘Every man of you put his sword on his thigh, and go back and forth from gate to gate in the camp, and kill every man his brother, and every man his friend, and every man his neighbor.’” 28 So the sons of Levi did as Moses instructed, and about three thousand men of the people fell that day. 10. Cave of Elijah at the mountain. 1 Kings 19:8-9: So he arose and ate and drank, and he journeyed in the strength of that food for forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mountain of God. 9 Then he came there to a cave and spent the night there; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 11. Artifacts found in the area. Items like a menorah drawing, writings, and footprint drawings all give further evidence that the Israelites were in this area. 12. This area is a designated archaeological site by the Saudi government. Today, sections of the area, along with the mountain, are fenced off by the Saudi Arabian government and designated as archeological sites. However, there are no excavations permitted on them at this time. Other Evidence from ancient historians. Several Jewish documents dating 600 years before Christ locate Mount Sinai in Midian, and Philo and Josephus (Jewish historians) also locate Mount Sinai in Midian of Arabia. Faith Lesson from the Exodus, Red Sea Crossing, and Mount Sinai 1. The miracles of the Exodus, Red Sea Crossing, God’s supernatural leading of the Israelites, and all that happened at Mt. Sinai, are massive miracles that reveal God’s glory and greatness. 2. They teach us deep theological truths that God wants us to believe and embrace. Truths like God’s greatness, ability to help and rescue us out of our sin and problems, how God is able to provide for us, protect us, and lead us are foundational concepts these miracles communicate. 3. God wants us to believe them instead of doubting and trying to explain them away, or believe they happened by natural means, as many liberal scholars attempt to do. 4. God calls unbelief a sin in His Word, the Bible. Hebrews 3:12 says: Take care, brothers and sisters, that there will not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. 5. While the miracles of the Exodus, Red Sea Crossing, and the events that happened at Mt. Sinai are massive in size, they are tiny in comparison to God’s greater miracles of creating everything that exists, giving life to everything that exists, and sustaining everything that exists. Acts 17:27 says: He [God] is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and exist. It is God who gives life to our bodies and spirits and is allows us to live, move, and exist. 6. When I listen to liberal theologians explaining away the miracles of the Exodus, Red Sea crossing, events at Mt. Sinai, and so forth, I can’t help but think that if God was to remove His sustaining power from their lives they would cease to exist in the very moment they are speaking and denying God’s power. 7. God was deeply grieved with the Israelites who doubted His power and ability on many occasions. He can also be deeply grieved with us today when we do the same. 8. Unlike Moses, who tried to fulfill God’s promise in his own strength and wound up killing an Egyptian, we should wait on God’s timing and not force things when they don’t happen as we think they should. We should never have to do evil or manipulate things in fulfilling God’s will for us.

Sepphoris was a city nearby to Nazareth where Jesus likely worked as a carpenter as a young man. It was a sophisticated Roman city with all the luxuries of modern life. It included a network of colonnaded paved streets, markets, residential houses, public buildings, bathhouses, a theater, and a synagogue. After the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, Sepphoris became a center of Jewish learning and the seat of the Sanhedrin high court. The Mishnah (Jewish oral law), was first compiled here. Sepphoris (Tsipori, Zippori) Overview Photo Gallery Places of Interest Sepphoris Overview Location 1. Sepphoris is located about 4 miles (6 km.) northwest of Nazareth, about 14 miles (23 km.) from the Mediterranean Sea, and about 15 miles (25 km.) from the Sea of Galilee. 2. Because of its close proximity to Nazareth, it was easily accessible by Jesus and His earthy father, Joseph. Historical Background 1. The city started to grow during the 2nd Century BC under Greek rule. 2. Later, under Roman rule during the time of Christ, Herod Antipas (the son of Herod the Great) invested in it significantly and made it “the ornament of Galilee.” It was a sophisticated Roman city with all the luxuries of modern life at that time. It included a network of colonnaded paved streets, markets, residential houses, public buildings, bathhouses, a theater, and a synagogue. 3. Sepphoris rose to recognized status during the century before Christ because it was located right on one of the main trade routes linking Africa with Europe and Asia called "The Via Maris" (way of the sea). Therefore, it was a wealthy city. 4. It was also a military city guarded well by Roman troops. 5. Sepphoris was the capital of the Galilee area during the time of Christ. 6. In order to rebuild the city, Herod Antipas used a massive workforce. 7. Because Nazareth was so close to Sepphoris, and because Jesus was a Tekton (Greek for a construction worker of various types), Jesus and His early father, Joseph, undoubtedly worked here. 8. So, in part, it’s also where Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man (Luke 2:52). 9. Because it was mainly a Jewish city, it was given its Hebrew name, Zippori, because it sits on a hilltop like a bird (Zippor). 10. Sepphoris is also known as the Mosaic City, as some of the best mosaics in all of Israel are found here. More than 40 mosaic floors reveal the bustling life of a Roman city and the luxury it afforded. 11. After Herod’s death in 4 BC, the Roman army put down a rebellion of Jewish rebels led by a man named Judas. These rebels numbering several thousand were killed; however, according to Josephus, 2,000 of them were kept alive to be crucified on its streets and close-by roads in the area. These mass crucifixions were carried out to instill fear in others who might consider rebelling against Roman rule. 12. Sepphoris did not join the Jewish rebellion in 66-70 AD and was therefore spared destruction. 13. After the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, Sepphoris became a center of Jewish learning and seat of the Sanhedrin supreme court. The Mishnah, the first authoritative collection of Jewish oral law, was compiled here. 14. Sepphoris witnessed Byzantine, Crusader, and Ottoman rule in the centuries following. Places of Interest (Please See Maps Above) 1. Park Entrance 2. Water source 3. Decumanus Street 4. Nile House with many mosaics 5. Cardo 6. Public building 7. Dionysus (god of wine) Building with mosaics 8. Fortress 9. Residential area 10. Theater 11. Synagogue Sepphoris in the Bible While Sepphoris is not mentioned in the Bible, it is significant for several reasons: 1. It was close-by to Nazareth and employed many carpenters. Because Jesus was a construction worker, it's very likely Jesus worked here before starting His earthly ministry. 2. After the death of Jesus’ earthly father, Joseph, Christ became the chief financial provider for His family. Christ was very responsible in caring for His family and expects us to do the same. 2 Thessalonians 3:10–11: For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. 11 For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies John 19:26–27: When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” 27 Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home. 3. It appears Jesus used references about this city in His teachings. Matthew 5:14–15: You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. Sepphoris was certainly a city on a hill. In fact, that’s what the name of this city means. Matthew 6:2–4: Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you; they have received their reward. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. The word for actor in Greek is “hypocrite.” Because these actors would walk the streets sounding their horns to advertise an upcoming event at the city theater, Jesus used them as an example of what not to do when giving to others and serving God. 4. Jesus likely used the example of the mass crucifixion carried out by the Romans against the Jewish revolt here to teach about the cost of being His disciple. Mark 8:34–38: And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? 37 For what can a man give in return for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” Christ taught about the cost of following him in several places during His ministry. In this account in Mark, He was teaching in the upper Galilee area at Caesarea Philippi, which is not far from Sepphoris. It's very likely that Christ’s audience would have personally witnessed the crucifixions here in Sepphoris or seen others. To the Jewish mind, Christ’s teaching would have sent a powerful and sober message of what Christ was asking of His followers. He was calling for total commitment, even commitment to death. Christ also used the imagery of crucifixion to teach us how we should daily crucify our personal desires that are contrary to God’s desires. Sepphoris was certainly an adulterous and sinful city that Christ probably referred to in Mark 8:38. Faith Lesson from Sepphoris 1. Jesus was a hard worker. Are we hard workers as well? 2. Jesus provided for His family after the death of His earthy father. He also took care of His mother’s future needs as He was being crucified. Do we provide and take care of our family members? 3. Jesus was undoubtedly good at what He did as a construction worker. Do we develop our skills to be good at what we do as well? 4. We should emulate Jesus in not only His spiritual side but also in His work ethic, work skills, and family responsibilities. 5. Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man prior to His earthly ministry. Are we doing the same? 6. Jesus likely used Sepphoris as an example of how we should be lights on a hill. Are we letting our lights shine brightly, or are we dim lights to those who know and see us? 7. Jesus likely used the actors in Sepphoris who blew their loud trumpets as an example of what we should not do when we give and serve God. Do we serve for God’s glory alone, or do we serve for the praise and esteem of others?

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