Go Missions to Mexico Ministries We Are Long-Term Missionaries Who Us Short-Term Mission Teams in Fulfilling the Great Commission In Mexico! ​ We Host: Youth Teams, Family Teams, Adult Teams & Church Teams. All with any kind of work & ministry emphasis desired! ​ You’re Needed! Serving the Needs of Mexico for 27 Years! Go Missions to Mexico has organized over 12,000 short term mission trip participants and counting! Our Unique Style of Ministry ​ Your mission team will minister at a specially chosen church while serving in Mexico. Through this church, you’ll do your ministries & outreaches. By strengthening and working with the local church, your fruit will remain long after you're gone. This philosophy of ministry ensures maximum fruit and impact! In our ministry you don't just serve the people of Mexico, you serve with them! Please join us in building Christ’s Church in Mexico! Books by Go Missions to Mexico Clink to see more For more on Go Missions to Mexico click GoMissionsToMexico.com

Holy Land Registration Form October 21~November 6, 2022 Registration How to Register and Secure Your Spot on the Holy Land Experience Trip 1. Fill out and submit the online registration form below. ​ 2. Upon receiving and accepting your form, we will notify you of availability and acceptance into the tour trip group. 3. Upon being accepted into the group, please pay your $500 deposit to confirm your spot. ​ Registration Deposit Link Final Payment Link ​ CONTACT INFO: Pastor Todd (Mike) Fink Phone: (541) 603-0881 Email: holylandsite.com@gmail.com Websites: HolyLandSite.com GoMissionsToMexico.com NEXT STEPS ​ 1. Upon receiving and accepting your form, we will notify you of availability and acceptance into the tour trip group. 2. Upon being accepted into the group, please pay your $500 deposit to confirm your spot. ​ Registration Deposit Link Final Payment Link ​ 3. In the meantime, check out our video teachings to the left, or see other info about Holy Land Trip orientation, etc. CONTACT INFO: ​ Pastor Todd (Mike) Fink Phone: (541) 603-0881 Email: holylandsite.com@gmail.com Websites: HolyLandSite.com GoMissionsToMexico.com TOUR HOSTS Dr. Todd (Mike) & Letsy Fink - Tour Hosts More about the Finks

Chapel of the Ascension Photo Gallery Places of Interest Chapel of the Ascension: Ascension and Return of Christ ​ Location 1. The Chapel of Ascension sits at one of the highest places on the Mount of Olives and is the main candidate for where the ascension of Christ took place. 2. A couple of other sites have been considered as the location of the Ascension of Christ back to heaven. One is the Russian Orthodox Church of the Ascension, and the other is the Pater Noster Church. 3. All these churches are within a stone's throw of each other on the top of the Mount of Olives, so we're right in the area where this monumental event happened. Historical Background 1. Early Christians soon memorialized this place after Christ’s resurrection. 2. In 384 AD, a pilgrim named Egeria found two footprints embedded in a rock that she claimed were those of Christ when He ascended to heaven. 3. Constantine's mother, Helena, had a church built here at the end of the 4th Century as a memorial chapel. 4. This chapel was rebuilt in the 7th Century. 5. It was rebuilt by the Crusaders again around 1100 AD. 6. In 1198 AD, Saladin destroyed the chapel under Ottoman Muslim conquest, and a mosque was built on its site. However, part of the original chapel was left intact. The bases of the columns can be seen today. 7. At this time, since the chapel was primarily used by Christians, a mosque was built during the Ottoman period on the south side of the compound, and the chapel was converted into a Muslim shrine. 8. Today, both Christians and Muslims visit this place, and it’s open to all. 9. Because it’s the highest place on the Mount of Olives, it’s the believed place from where Christ ascended back to heaven. 10. It’s also the believed place where Christ will return at His second coming. Places of Interest 1. Chapel of the Ascension 2. Russian Orthodox Church of the Ascension ​ 3. Pater Noster Church 4 . Mount of Olives ​ 5. Kidron Valley 6. Old City Jerusalem Location of the Chapel of the Ascension in the Bible 1. Christ ascended back to heaven from the top of the Mount of Olives. Acts 1:6–12: So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 9 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.” 12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away. 2. The return of Christ to earth will be one of the greatest culminating events of Scripture. 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.” 3. Every being that has ever been created will see Christ’s return. Revelation 1:7: Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen. 4. Christ’s return conquers and flips all evil powers into submission to Him. Revelation 19:15: From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 5. Christ coming will be in extreme power and great glory. 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. Revelation 6:12–17: When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, 13 and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. 14 The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. 15 Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, 16 calling to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, 17 for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?" 6. Believers and angels will return with Christ in power and great glory as well. Revelation 19:11–15: Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. 13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. 14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 7. Christ will judge the nations and separate the sheep (believers) from the goats (unbelievers). Revelation 14:17–20: Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. 18 And another angel came out from the altar, the angel who has authority over the fire, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe.” 19 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]. 8. The judgment of unbelievers will be severe. Zechariah 14:12: And this shall be the plague with which the LORD will strike all the peoples that wage war against Jerusalem: their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths. Faith Lesson from the Location of the Chapel of the Ascension 1. Christ proved to be God in ascending in a glorified body back to heaven. Do we believe Jesus is God? 2. Every being that has ever been created will see Christ’s return in power and great glory. 3. Christ’s return conquers and flips all evil powers into submission to Him. 4. Christ coming will be in extreme power and great glory. 5. Christ will physically return to the Mount of Olives. 6. Believers and angels will return with Christ in power and great glory as well. 7. Christ will judge the nations and separate the sheep from the goats. 8. Are we living a devoted life to Christ and serving Him? 9. Are we living a life that is watchful and ready? 10. Will we be among those who come with Christ at His return or those whom Christ judges? ​

Timnah: Life of Samson Overview Life of Samson Overview Welcome to the Holy Land and the biblical site of Timnah, which is located at this site called, “Tel Batash .” Let’s see the Bible come to life as we look at some of the key events from the Scriptures that took place here. Location Timnah is located about halfway between Joppa (a coastal town on the Mediterranean Sea) and Jerusalem. The Tel is about 10 acres in size. It is in a rich agricultural area alongside the Nahal Sorek stream. Historical Background 1. Timnah is mentioned 10 times in the Bible. Today, biblical Timnah is called Tel Batash, which is very little visited and undeveloped. It's hard to access as it's located in the midst of farm fields. The life of Samson takes place in the period of the Judges, which is about 1400 BC. ​ 2. Samson is a very interesting Bible figure that presents some significant challenges to understand. His life is a blend of God’s sovereignty and Samson’s human choices. Many decisions Samson made were sinful and foolish. However, despite his sinful and foolish choices, God still used him to accomplish His sovereign purposes. However, it appears Samson’s choices negatively affected what he could have accomplished for God had he been more obedient and wise. 3. Samson’s life seems to reveal a very immature believer who follows their sinful desires rather than walking in the Spirit and exemplifying wisdom and maturity. 4. To understand Samson, we have to understand something about the book of Judges. The period of the Judges takes place in a period of Israel’s history when they were a very spiritually immature people. Their two famous leaders, Moses and Joshua, had died, and now they were on their own. 5. A lot of weird and bizarre things happen in the book of Judges, and there’s one phrase repeatedly used, “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” 6. Samson is listed in Hebrews 11, the hall of fame faith chapter, as a person who had faith. 7. Samson had a supernatural birth and purpose. 8. Like Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, Hannah, and Elizabeth, the mother of Samson was barren and unable to have children. Sites of Interest 1. Tel Beth-Shemesh 2. Sorek Valley ​3. Nahal Sorek Stream 4. Zorah - Samson's Tomb ​5. Tel Timnah (Tel Batash) 6. M odern Beth-Shemesh ​ Places of Interest at Timnah, Zorah, Lehi 1. Street 2. Residential home 3. Oil press 4. Observation tent 5. City gate 6. Nahal Sorek Stream 7. Samson’s tomb 8. Samson’s hometown 9. Place God provided water for Samson Timnah, Zorah, Lehi & Samson in the Bible 1. God visited Samson’s parents through an angel. Judges 13:2-5: There was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren and had borne no children. Then the angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, “Behold now, you are barren and have borne no children, but you shall conceive and give birth to a son. Now, therefore , be careful not to drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing. For behold, you shall conceive and give birth to a son, and no razor shall come upon his head, for the boy shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb; and he shall begin to deliver Israel from the hands of the Philistines.” 2. God ordered Samson to be consecrated by being a Nazirite from birth (meaning separated or dedicated). This was a unique vow, applicable during the Old Covenant of national Israel, whereby a non-Levite (Samson was a Danite) could dedicate his life to full-time service of God. This vow required that their hair not be cut, no alcoholic beverages were to be consumed, and no touching of anything dead was allowed (Judges 13:5; Num. 6). 3. God also provided Samson with unbelievable, superhuman strength to be used against the Philistines, providing Samson's vow of submission was faithfully kept. 4. When Samson is grown, he comes down here to Timnah from Zorah, seeking an occasion against the Philistines. Judges 14:1-4: Then Samson went down to Timnah and saw a woman in Timnah, one of the daughters of the Philistines. So he came back and told his father and mother, “I saw a woman in Timnah, one of the daughters of the Philistines; now, therefore , get her for me as a wife.” Then his father and his mother said to him, “Is there no woman among the daughters of your relatives, or among all our people, that you go to take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?” But Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for she looks good to me.” However, his father and mother did not know that it was of the Lord, for He was seeking an occasion against the Philistines. Now at that time , the Philistines were ruling over Israel. This verse has caused much debate and appears very difficult to understand. Didn’t God forbid Israelites to marry foreign women? And why would Samson desire an unbelieving wife whom it appears he was just attracted to because of her outward beauty? First of all, God only prohibited the Israelites from marrying Canaanite women from the seven nationalities that made up the Promised Land. The Philistines were not part of the people groups of Canaan. So the Philistines did not originate from the Canaanite groups infected by the Amorite sins as mentioned in Genesis 15:16. The Philistine land was considered separate from the Canaanite land as mentioned in Exodus 13:17, and the people group was distinguished from the Canaanites as mentioned in Joshua 13:1-6. Additionally, Boaz married Ruth, who was a Moabite, from whom the lineage of David and Christ came. So there is no direct conflict with God's commands and His possible moving in the heart of Samson to be attracted to a Philistine woman. However, even if it were sinful of Samson and arose wholly of him, and God simply allowed it for His own purposes, it could still be something "of the Lord." Whether God is actively doing or passively allowing, He is working. That is simply how God operates in a sinful world. Humans sin, and God works despite that sin. 5. Samson demonstrates his superhuman ability by killing a lion with his bare hands. Judges 14:5: Then Samson went down to Timnah with his father and mother, and came as far as the vineyards of Timnah; and behold, a young lion came roaring toward him. The Spirit of the Lord came upon him mightily, so that he tore him as one tears a young goat though he had nothing in his hand; but he did not tell his father or mother what he had done. By failing to tell his parents, Samson neglects their wise counsel and guidance parents provide. 6. Samson breaks his Nazirite vow and touches the dead lion he had previously killed. Judges 14:7-9: So he went down and talked to the woman ; and she looked good to Samson. When he returned later to take her, he turned aside to look at the carcass of the lion; and behold, a swarm of bees and honey were in the body of the lion. So he scraped the honey into his hands and went on, eating as he went. When he came to his father and mother, he gave some to them and they ate it; but he did not tell them that he had scraped the honey out of the body of the lion. By touching a dead animal, S amson violates part of his Nazirite Vow. 7. Samson throws a party for his marriage, proposes a riddle, and then succumbs to his wife’s pressure to reveal it. Judges 14:10: Then his father went down to the woman; and Samson made a feast there, for the young men customarily did this. When they saw him, they brought thirty companions to be with him. This customary feast was, literally, a “drinking party.” Although Scripture doesn’t indicate whether Samson participating in the drinking, it was very likely he did. If he did indeed drink, this was another violation of his Nazirite Vow. Samson proposes a riddle, his wife deceives him into telling her, and she tells her kinsmen. 8. Then the Spirit of God comes upon Samson and he killed 30 Philistines. Judges 14:19: Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon him mightily, and he went down to Ashkelon and killed thirty of them and took their spoil and gave the changes of clothes to those who told the riddle. And his anger burned, and he went up to his father’s house. But Samson’s wife was given to his companion who had been his friend. 9. Samson seeks revenge because his wife had been given to one of Samson’s good friends. Judges 15:4-5: Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took torches, and turned the foxes tail to tail and put one torch in the middle between two tails. When he had set fire to the torches, he released the foxes into the standing grain of the Philistines, thus burning up both the shocks and the standing grain, along with the vineyards and groves. 10. The Israelites deliver Samson to the Philistines bound in new ropes, but Samson breaks the ropes like wax and kills 1,000 Philistines. Judges 15:14-15: When he came to Lehi, the Philistines shouted as they met him. And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him mightily so that the ropes that were on his arms were as flax that is burned with fire, and his bonds dropped from his hands. He found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, so he reached out and took it and killed a thousand men with it. 11. God provides for Samson after he killed the 1,000 with a donkey's jawbone. Judges 15:18-20: Then he became very thirsty, and he called to the Lord and said, “You have given this great deliverance by the hand of Your servant, and now shall I die of thirst and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?” But God split the hollow place that is in Lehi so that water came out of it. When he drank, his strength returned and he revived. Therefore, he named it En- hakkore , which is in Lehi to this day. So he judged Israel twenty years in the days of the Philistines. 12. Samson commits sexual sin with a harlot. Judges 16:1-3: Now Samson went to Gaza and saw a harlot there, and went in to her. When it was told to the Gazites (part of the Philistines), saying, “Samson has come here,” they surrounded the place and lay in wait for him all night at the gate of the city. And they kept silent all night, saying, “Let us wait until the morning light, then we will kill him.” Now Samson lay until midnight, and at midnight he arose and took hold of the doors of the city gate and the two posts and pulled them up along with the bars; then he put them on his shoulders and carried them up to the top of the mountain which is opposite Hebron. From Gaza to Hebron is about 45 miles. Even though Samson committed sexual sin with a prostitute, God had mercy on him and delivered him anyway. 13. Samson is defeated by the Philistines. Judges 16:4-5: After this, it came about that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah. The lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, “Entice him, and see where his great strength lies and how we may overpower him that we may bind him to afflict him. Then we will each give you eleven hundred pieces of silver.” Samson clearly had a weakness for women, which caused him to commit adultery and become impure and disobedient to God and his Nazarite Vow. 14. Delilah deceives Samson. Judges 16:18-21: When Delilah saw that he had told her all that was in his heart, she sent and called the lords of the Philistines, saying, “Come up once more, for he has told me all that is in his heart.” Then the lords of the Philistines came up to her and brought the money in their hands. She made him sleep on her knees, and called for a man and had him shave off the seven locks of his hair. Then she began to afflict him, and his strength left him. She said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” And he awoke from his sleep and said, “I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the Lord had departed from him. Then the Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes ; and they brought him down to Gaza and bound him with bronze chains, and he was a grinder in the prison. 15. When God’s name is mocked, and His glory is given to false gods, He chooses to once again use Samson for His sovereign purposes. Judges 16:23-31: Now the lords of the Philistines assembled to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god, and to rejoice, for they said, “Our god has given Samson our enemy into our hands.” When the people saw him, they praised their god, for they said, “Our god has given our enemy into our hands, Even the destroyer of our country, who has slain many of us.” It so happened when they were in high spirits, that they said, “Call for Samson, that he may amuse us.” So they called for Samson from the prison, and he entertained them. And they made him stand between the pillars. Then Samson said to the boy who was holding his hand, “Let me feel the pillars on which the house rests, that I may lean against them.” Now the house was full of men and women, and all the lords of the Philistines were there. And about 3,000 men and women were on the roof looking on while Samson was amusing them. Then Samson called to the Lord and said, “O Lord God, please remember me and please strengthen me just this time, O God, that I may at once be avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.” Samson grasped the two middle pillars on which the house rested, and braced himself against them, the one with his right hand and the other with his left. And Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” And he bent with all his might so that the house fell on the lords and all the people who were in it. So the dead whom he killed at his death were more than those whom he killed in his life. Then his brothers and all his father’s household came down, took him, brought him up and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of Manoah his father. Thus, he had judged Israel twenty years. Faith Lesson from the life of Samson. 1. Weaknesses of Samson which destroyed his life and ministry. Samson failed to listen to the counsel of his parents. Samson was bitter and vengeful. Samson had a weakness for women. Samson broke many of his Nazirite vows. Samson walked in the flesh instead of in the Spirit. Samson had raw abilities but never refined them and submitted them fully to God’s control and lordship. Samson paid a heavy price for his continual neglect of submitting to God. We should develop our gifts, submit them to God, and be fully obedient in serving Him or we could copy the failures of Samson. 2. Strengths of Samson Samson is mentioned in Hebrews 11 as a man of faith. So, despite his many failures, he did have faith and believed in God. 3. Strengths of God Samson failed in many ways, but God still used him. Samson served during the period of the Judges, a time when Israel was a very spiritually immature people. This explains why Samson was so immature and why God still used him anyway. God is sovereign and uses sinful people for his purposes. Even in God’s garden of grace, broken trees produce fruit.

Holy Land Tour Trip to Is rael The Holy Land Experience Trip of a Lifetime May 3~19, 2024 17-Day Trip ​ Our Holy Land Trips are open to anyone worldwide with a valid passport for travel to Israel . Would you like to have a life-changing and never-to-be-forgotten experience? If so, it is our joy to invite you to join us on a trip of a lifetime to the Land of the Bible, where you will find a new dimension in understanding the Bible and the life of Jesus. We will take a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, visit places where Jesus walked, lived, taught, performed miracles, walked on the water, calmed the sea, and where He was crucified and raised from the dead. We will immerse ourselves in the Land of the Bible and experience it to the depths of our souls.​ You will never be the same or read your Bible the same after a trip like this.​ ​ If it's Bible you want, then this trip is for you. At each site, we will give biblical and historical teaching along with a faith lesson. Therefore, this trip is designed to provide an in-depth study and perspective from the Scriptures of the events and places of the Bible. ___________________ ​ "An absolutely amazing trip with a guy who knows his Bible and can relate it to you in-country. I've gone with this dear friend of mine to Israel twice. It's an 11 out of 10 trip!" ​ Dan Reeves ​ Quick Links ​ Holy Land Trip Registration Form (Required for each person) ​ Deposit Payment ~ $500 USD ​ Final Payment ~ $1,350 USD ​ Hotel Reservation B ooking Section ​ About Your Tour Hosts Trip Registration Info ​ Itinerary ​ Holy Land Trip Travel Orientation ​ Helpful Holy Land Learning Resources The Holy Land Experience! 17-Day Trip ​ Holy Land Site Fee: $ 1,850 USD Items covered by Holy Land Site Ministries: ​ Transportation in Israel Via a Deluxe A/C Motorcoach ​ All Park & Entrance Passes ​ Holy Land Site Tour Guide and Bible Teacher, Dr. Todd Fink ​ Wireless Headsets for a Better Listening Experience Individual Costs: $2,800 USD This cost can change depending on individual preferences and location. ​ To keep our trips as affordable as possible, we allow individuals to book their own lodging and airfare. Also, to see as many sites as possible and keep costs down, we have folks pack a sack lunch. The hotels will provide breakfast and dinners if desired. We recommend eating breakfast at the hotels for time and convenience sake. For those desiring to experience the culture, you can enjoy eating dinners out at the local restaurants of your choice. Items to be covered by each individual: ​ The costs below are close estimates. Your price may vary depending on airfare from your location, room selections, and how expensive you want to eat. ​ Sack Lunch & Dinner Meals in Israel $450 per person (Breakfast included in Hotel cost) ​ Lodging in Israel (found on the itinerary) $1,200 per person (Based on private, double occupancy rooms.) ​ Airfare $1,100 per person ​ Personal transportation In Israel $50 per person Note: Personal transportation means travel from Ben Gurion Airport to Kfar Maccabiah Hotel & Suites in Tel Aviv, and from Prima Park Hotel in Jerusalem to Ben Gurion Airport. Taxis are the best method for this transportation. Due to multiple arrivals and departures from passengers, it is not possible for us to attend everyone’s various time schedules. However, we are happy to help in any way possible with these arrangements.​ ​ Total Estimated Cost of Trip ​ Holy Land Site Fee $1,850 ​ Individual Costs $2,800 ​ Total $4,650 USD THIS IS A CUSTOM-DESIGNED TRIP If you want to spend more time in Israel and see more holy sites, then this trip is designed for you. Most trips to the Holy Land allow only around 7-8 full days in Israel. This severely limits what can be seen. Therefore, most who go to the Holy Land miss out on many significant holy sites as a result. This trip will have you in Israel for 13 full touring days. You will, therefore, see almost everything significant there is to see in Israel. A 17-day trip like this normally is quite expensive (if you can find one). Why can we do it so inexpensively? Because we are eliminating tour companies, travel agencies, tour guides, etc., and are providing these services instead. We are also allowing you to book your own airfare, lodging, and some of your meals. And lastly, we are staying in nice, clean hotels/hostels instead of expensive hotels. It is our pleasure to serve you and our Lord Jesus Christ in offering you this special and affordable trip of a lifetime. Because this is a custom trip, each participant will be required to book their own airfare, lodging, and purchase some of their own meals. PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS This trip is not for the weak and faint of heart! There will be a fair amount of walking, some hiking, climbing stairs, times when it could be warm (Dead Sea area), etc. Those considering this trip need to be in good shape and able to withstand some discomfort at times due to heat, walking, stairs, steps, hiking, etc. Our estimated walking distance will be about 3 - 5 miles (4 - 7 km.) a day. Those considering this trip need to be prepared for a rewarding but full schedule of about 8 - 9 hours a day. However, if at any time you want to take time off for rest during the trip, you are welcome to do so. ​ GROUP SIZE LIMIT In order to have a more intimate and better experience, we limit our group size to around 35 - 40 people. This allows us to be more efficient and see more places in Israel. Larger teams bring a different dynamic that slows things down and makes travel more difficult. AIR TRAVEL Each person will be responsible for booking their own air travel to Israel (to and from Ben Gurion Airport). Please make plans to arrive with plenty of time to attend our required orientation and get-acquainted meeting at 7:00 pm at our Kfar Maccabiah Hotel & Suites in Tel Aviv. Due to customs and obtaining visas, please allow 3 hours from airport arrival to hotel arrival. The hotel is about 15 minutes from the airport, depending on traffic. ​ Note: For those having the time and resources, arriving a day early will give you a chance to rest up and get better prepared for your experience in Israel. TRANSPORTATION IN ISRAEL We will be transported via a large, air-conditioned motorcoach . Our bus driver is an Arab Christian who is able to take us to all sites in Israel, even in the West Bank. LODGING IN ISRAEL We will be staying at hotels with private rooms and bathrooms during our time in Israel. Our itinerary shows the hotels where we will stay (a total of three: Tel Aviv, Tiberias, and Jerusalem). Click here for hotel reservation links ​ LUGGAGE SIZE AND AMOUNT We don't have a luggage size and number allowance per person, but we suggest not exceeding over 40-50 lbs (18-22 kg) per piece of luggage as it makes it hard to handle. The lighter, the better. You will be responsible for handling your own luggage on the trip, so don't pack any heavier than what you can lift. MEALS IN ISRAEL Each person will be responsible for paying for their own lunches and dinners. ​ Breakfast - The hotels will provide breakfast if desired. Some will provide dinners as well. These can be paid for when you book your lodging or at the hotels. It's ideal to eat breakfast at the hotels as it's handy. However, you can eat your breakfast if desired at a local restaurant or made by hand. ​ Lunch - Because eating out is expensive in Israel, time-consuming with a large group, and we will not always be close to a restaurant, each trip participant will prepare themself a daily sack lunch. Each day around noon, we will take a break to eat, or you can eat and snack as you wish. Lunch items can be purchased at local grocery stores or extra items from the breakfasts buffets at the hotels can be taken (the hotels seem okay with this). The hotels will have refrigerators in the rooms if needed. ​Dinner – On your own. Enjoy the local culture as you eat at local restaurants or the hotel if you prefer. PARK & ENTRANCE PASSES Holy Land Site Ministries will pay for all park and entrance fees to all sites. You will be responsible for paying for any entrance fees you want to see during your free time. WHAT WILL OUR VISITS TO EACH SITE BE LIKE? Our visits will normally last around two hours. We will begin with some orientation of the site. Then we'll do a walking tour to see the site and its points of interest. Afterward, we'll find a quiet spot to reflect on the main events from the Bible that happened at the site and close with a faith lesson to learn the key truths God would desire to teach us. Some of the Bible teachings might be filmed for publishing on our website. We'll then end our visit with some free time. DOCUMENTS A valid U.S. Passport is required. Passports must have at least six months left before they expire for travel to Israel. TRIP PREPARATION Please utilize the videos and info on our website that provide help and orientation to better understand many of the biblical sites we will be visiting, the history of Israel, and other helpful info. In addition, we will provide helpful info leading up to our trip that will help prepare you to get the most out of your holy land experience. ​ We also ask that you acquaint yourself with our Travel Orientation Material found on our website. You will find it extremely helpful. TIME OF YEAR FOR THIS TRIP We’ve chosen these dates to visit Israel because the weather is stable, the days are longer, and there are no Jewish Holidays that will interfere with our travels. DAILY ITINERARY Please take into consideration that there might be slight adjustments to the schedule depending on things out of our control. Additionally, if the team would like some flexibility in seeing sights, we are happy to do this if possible. ​ MONEY IN ISRAEL Credit cards and Dollars are readily accepted, and Shekels can be drawn from ATMs. INTERNET IN ISRAEL Phone SIM cards can be purchased for around $39.99 if you want Internet service at all times while in Israel. You can also activate your phone for international service. ​ If you don't have Internet via your phone service, at each hotel where we will be staying, free Internet service is provided. Also, the tour bus has free Internet service as well. ​ DIGITAL MAPS OF DAILY TRIP ITINERARY For each tour trip itinerary , you will see at the bottom of each day's itiner ary a link to see a Google Map of the route and sites we'll be seeing each day. Here's an example: Tour Day 1: G oogle Map Itinerary DAILY SCHEDULE We will leave our place of lodging each day at 7:45 am and return around 4:00 - 5:00 pm. From this time on, you will have free time to eat, relax, see the local sites and culture, etc. ​ PERSONAL TRAVEL IN ISRAEL You can take a taxi, walk, use the bus or light rail train system. The best option is to make sure you have Internet in Israel (you can activate your phone or get an Israeli SIM card) and use Google Maps. It will tell you exactly which bus, light rail train, or walking route will best suit you. It also works in real-time, so you can see exactly when buses and trains are arriving and departing. ​ AGE LIMIT The minimum age for trip participants is 12 years old unless other arrangements have been made with tour hosts. ​ ITINERARY Please see our detailed itinerary below. Anchor 1 TOUR HOSTS Todd & Letsy Fink More about the Finks TRIP REGISTRATION INFO HOW TO REGISTER & CONFIRM YOUR SPOT 1. P lease fill out the online registration form, and we will notify you of your acceptance on the tour trip team. ​ 2. A fter being notified of your acceptance on the tour team, please pay your non-refundable registration deposit of $500 USD. Your deposit is what confirms your spot on the tour team. ​ REGISTRATION, DEPOSIT, AND FINAL PAYMENT LINKS ​ Holy Land Trip Registration Form (Required for each person) ​ Deposit Payment ~ $500 USD ​ Final Payment ~ $1,350 USD ​ REGISTRATION DEADLINE DATE Your trip registration, deposit, and final payment deadline is March 1 , 2024 . Tourism is growing quite rapidly in Israel, and things need to be done earlier than in previous years. Therefore, booking lodging, bus transportation in Israel, etc., needs to be done no later than 2 months before trip departure to ensure availability (booking lodging is even recommended 6 months in advance for best availability). For these reasons, we have set March 1 , 2024 , as the deadline for trip registration. For those who desire to attend this trip after March 1 , 2024 , we will handle each person on a space availability case basis. Thanks for your understanding. ​ CANCEL ATIONS & REFUNDS Deposit Payment to Holy Land Site Ministries All deposit payments are non-refundable. ​ Refund of Final Payment to Holy Land Site Ministries 1. If you need to cancel your trip for personal reasons before March 1 , 2024 , Holy Land Site Ministries will only be able to refund one-half of your final payment. ​ 2. If you must cancel your trip for personal reasons after March 1 , 2024 , Holy Land Site Ministries will not be able to refund any of your final payment due to expenses already incurred that cannot recuperated. ​ Transferring Payments to a Different Tour Trip Date No payments to Holy Land Site Ministries can be transferred from one tour trip to a different tour trip. ​ Refunds from Purchases of Airline Tickets, Lodging, etc. Holy Land Site Ministries will not refund any of these funds because they were not paid to Holy Land Site Ministries. ​ Refund if Trip is Canceled Due to Events Out of Our Control like Covid, Other Viruses, War, and So Forth 1. 100% of the final payment to Holy Land Site Ministries will be refunded. 2. Refunds from flights and lodging will be the responsibility of each person as these were booked personally. ​ TRIP PROTECTION INSURANCE If you would like trip protection insurance to protect you, or if the trip is canceled for any reason, many third-party insurance agencies provide travel protection insurance in the case of cancelations due to unforeseen reasons. Travel Protection Agencies (Rated the Highest by Forbes.com) ​ Forbes.com Adviser (compares many companies): https://www.forbes.com/advisor/travel-insurance ​ Allianz Travel Insurance: allianztravelinsurance.com ​ Travel Guard (AIG): travelguard.com/travel-insurance/plans ​ Seven Corners: sevencorners.com ​ WHEN TO BOOK AIRFARE & LODGING Please book your lodging at your earliest convenience, as lodging fills up quickly in Israel. You can book your flights around 6 months before trip departure or as desired. HOTEL RESERVATION BOOKING LINKS We show Bookings.com as an option because they offer no upfront charges, and cancelations can be done 72 hours in advance with no fees. However, if you want to book using another booking platform, you are welcome to do so. Kfar Maccabiah Business & Sport Hotel , 7 Peretz Berenstein Street, Ramat Gan, Tel Aviv Check-in: May 4, Check-out: May 5. One night stay. Hotel Reservation Link: Bookings.com or Kfar Maccabiah Direct Booking (It seems best to book directly with this hotel as bookings on Bookings.com aren't available until around six months before the dates.) ​ Prima Galil Tiberias Hotel, El Hadif Street 1, Tiberias Check-in: May 5, Check-out: May 9. Four nights stay. Hotel Reservation Link: Bookings.com ​ Prima Park Hotel Jerusalem: 2 Vilnay Street, Jerusalem Check-in: May 9, Check-out: May 18. Nine nights stay. Hotel Reservation Link: Bookings.com ​ Note: For those with the time and resources, arriving a day early will allow you to rest up and better prepare for your experience in Israel. If, for some reason, the hotels are full, just book a hotel of your choice nearby and meet us at the check-in lobby of the main hotel by 7:45 am. Bus departure is scheduled daily at 8:00 am from each hotel. ​ ​ CONTACT INFO: Todd Fink Phone: (541) 603-0881 Email: holylandsite.com@gmailcom Website : HolyLandSite.com Anchor 2 Anchor 4 DAILY ITINERARY FRI, MAY 3 DEPART FOR THE HOLY LAND Please make plans to arrive at Ben Gurion Airport, Tel Aviv, no later than May 4, by 3:00 pm if possible. This will give you plenty of time to attend our orientation and get-acquainted meeting at 7:00 pm. We'll meet at the main check-in lobby of the Kfar Maccabiah & Suites Hotel and then go to our meeting place. ​ Note: For those with the time and resources, arriving a day early will allow you to rest up and get better prepared for your experience in Israel. ​ Clic k to see "Ben Gurion Airport Arrival Orientation Video" ​ SAT, MAY 4 TEL AVIV After arriving at the Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel, you will proceed through customs. Please don’t lose your small tourist visa provided to you. Afterward, you can take a taxi to Kfar Maccabiah Hotel & Suites, 7 Peretz Berenstein Street, Ramat Gan, Tel Aviv. Due to customs and obtaining visas, please allow approximately 3 hours from airport arrival to hotel arrival. The hotel is about 15 minutes from the airport, depending on traffic. Orientation and get acquainted meeting 7:00 pm. Please meet in the main hotel lobby. Free time afterward. Lodging at Kfar Maccabiah Hotel & Suites, 7 Peretz Berenstein Street, Ramat Gan, Tel Aviv. One night total. Google Map from Ben Gurion to Kfar Maccabiah Hotel ​ SUN, MAY 5 TEL AVIV – SEA OF GALILEE AREA Refreshed from a good night's sleep, we’ll visit Old Jaffa (Joppa), the traditional home of Simon the Tanner, the port from which Jonah sailed and the logs arrived for the construction of the Temple in Jerusalem. We’ll then pass through the fast-growing towns and farms of the Plain of Sharon en route to Caesarea Maritima , where the Holy Spirit came to the Gentiles and the site of major events in the lives of Peter and Paul. We’ll drive through the rolling hills of Galilee to Nazareth , where Jesus grew up, and visit the Church of the Annunciation , where the angel, Gabriel, announced to Mary that she would be the mother of the Messiah. We'll then drive through Cana , where Christ performed His first public miracle. Then it’s on to Tiberias and the Sea of Galilee , which will be our base for the next 4 nights. Free time afterward. Lodging at Prima Galil Tiberias Hotel, El Hadif Street 1, Tiberias. Four nights total. Tour Day 1: Google Map Itinerary ​ MON, MAY 6 SEA OF GALILEE AREA This day alone is worth the trip! We are now literally walking in the footsteps of Jesus. We'll start the day at Ginosar , where we'll see an ancient boat (Beit Yigal Allon Museum) from the time of Jesus. We'll take a most memorable boat ride on the Sea of Galilee in a replica of an ancient wooden boat used in Jesus’ day. We’ll visit the Mount of Beatitudes , the location of the beautiful Sermon on the Mount, where Christ preached his longest and most famous sermon. From the Mount of Beatitudes, we'll walk in the footsteps of Jesus down the hill to Tabgha by the Sea of Galilee. Then on to Capernaum , where Jesus set up His home ministry base and often preached in the ancient synagogue. We will continue our drive around the Sea of Galilee to Kursi , where Christ cast out a legion of demons out of a demon-possessed man. Time permitting, w e'll end the day at a breathtaking spot overlooking the Sea of Galilee , where we'll see many sites around its shore, one of which is where the Feeding of the 5,000 took place. Free time afterward. Tour Day 2: Google Map Itinerary ​ TUES, MAY 7 SEA OF GALILEE AREA We’ll journey north to Caesarea Philippi, where Peter confessed, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God” (Matt. 16:16). We’ll visit Chorazin , one of the cursed towns, which has one of the most preserved synagogues in the Galilee area. Then it's on to visit the most likely place Jesus called many of His disciples and the area where Peter was reconciled with Christ after denying Him three times. We'll wrap up the day with a visit to Magdala , the hometown of Mary Magdalene, from whom Christ cast out seven demons. At Magdala, we will visit a natural beach where you can dip your feet in the Sea of Galilee or swim if you'd like. Free time afterward. Tour Day 3: Google Map Itinerary ​ WED, MAY 8 SEA OF GALILEE AREA We’ll drive along the Jordan Valley to Beth Shean , a stunning Roman Decapolis city and the place where Saul and his son’s bodies were hanged after defeat in battle. We’ll visit Gideon’s Spring , where Gideon selected his soldiers to battle against the Midianites. We’ll return to the Sea of Galilee and finish the day on top of Mt. Arbel , the believed place where Christ gave the Great Commission, and which provides a breathtaking view of the Sea of Galilee. Free time afterward. Tour Day 4: Google Map Itinerary ​ THURS, MAY 9 JORDAN VALLEY AREA We’ll drive south along the Jordan Valley, following the footsteps that Jesus and His disciples would have walked, arriving at the Baptismal Site of Jesus, where Jesus was baptized by John. We'll provide an option for those who would like to get baptized to do so. Then to Jericho , the oldest known walled city and the first place Joshua and the Israelites conquered upon entering the Promised Land. We’ll then visit Qumran , where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found in 1947. Then, we'll ascend and enter Jerusalem as pilgrims did since ancient times to fulfill the words of the prophet "I was glad when they said unto me: 'Our feet shall stand within thy Gates, O Jerusalem'" (Psalms 122:1–2). Free time afterward. Lodging at Prima Park Hotel Jerusalem: 2 Vilnay Street, Jerusalem. Nine nights total. Tour Day 5: Google Map Itinerary FRI, MAY 10 DEAD SEA AREA We’ll begin the day by driving to Masada , a massive fortress rock column that overlooks the Dead Sea (the lowest spot on earth). We'll ascend Masada by cable car to visit the remnants of Herod's Palace, where in 73 AD, the Zealots made their last stand against the might of Rome. We’ll visit ancient Gomorrah , one of the cities God destroyed by fire and brimstone due to their wickedness. Then, what would a visit to Israel be without taking a dip, or rather a float, in the Dead Sea ? Free time afterward. Tour Day 6: Google Map Itinerary ​ SAT, MAY 11 BETHLEHEM – JUDAH AREA We'll begin the day with a visit to Bethlehem, Manger Square, and the Church of the Nativity, where Jesus was born. We'll then visit the magnificent Herodian Fortress. While there, we'll view the Shepherds' Fields, the Fields of Boaz and Ruth, and see where David kept his sheep as a young man . We’ll then travel to the Valley of Elah , where David slew Goliath. Then on to Beth Shemesh , where key events in the life of Samson took place and where the Ark of the Covenant miraculously was returned to the Israelites by the Philistines. Free time afterward. Tour Day 7: Google Map Itinerary ​ SUN, MAY 12 SAMARIA AREA Today we’ll travel north to the ancient Samaria region of the Bible. We visit Shechem , where Abraham first entered the Promised Land and erected an altar. We’ll see and drink from Jacob’s Well , where Jesus talked with the Samaritan woman. We’ll see where Joseph’s bones were buried at the Tomb of Joseph . We’ll see ancient Shiloh , where the Tabernacle resided for 369 years and where Hannah prayed for a son (Samuel). Then it’s on to ancient Bethel , where Jacob saw a ladder to heaven, where the tabernacle resided, and where Jeroboam erected a Golden Calf. We'll drive by the site of ancient Ai , the second city Joshua and the Israelites destroyed. Free time afterward. Tour Day 8: Google Map Itinerary ​ MON, MAY 13 JERUSALEM We’ll start the day with a magnificent view of the Old City from the top of the Mt. of Olives and orient ourselves to the layout and places of Jerusalem . We’ll then visit the Chapel of Ascension , where Christ ascended back to heaven and where His feet will touch down at His glorious second coming. We'll visit Pater Noster Church , where Christ taught His disciples how to pray. We'll see the Tombs of the Prophets , where Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi are believed to be buried. We’ll take the Palm Sunday Walk to the Garden of Gethsemane and the Church of All Nations . Along the way, we’ll visit Dominus Flevit , where Christ wept over Jerusalem. We’ll see Mary’s Tomb and underground caves that were part of Gethsemane . Free time afterward. Tour Day 9: Google Map Itinerary ​ TUES, MAY 14 JERUSALEM Today, we’ ll visit and walk on the Temple Mount , the location where Solomon’s Temple was and the holiest and most battled-over piece of land in the world. We'll then see the Western Wall , the Jew’s most holy site in Israel. We’ll visit the Southern Stairs Area , which was the main entrance to the Temple Mount, a place Christ and His disciples would have often been, and the likely place where those who received Christ at Pentecost were baptized. We’ll then walk through part of the Cardo , an original Roman street, and then see the amazing remains of the massive Broad Wall built by King Hezekiah. Free time afterward. Tour Day 10 : Google Map Itinerary ​ WED, MAY 15 JERUSALEM Today we will visit the Upper Room , the location of the Last Supper and the place an early church/synagogue was built by early Christians shortly after the time of Christ. Next, we'll see the House of Caiaphas , where Christ was tried before Caiaphas, Peter denied Christ three times, and where Christ was beaten and spent the night in a dungeon . While at the House of Caiaphas, we'll see a model of Jerusalem from around 135 AD . Then we'll have the privilege of visiting the City of David , where everything began in Jerusalem. While in the City of David, we'll see David's Palace , ancient ruins, the remains of Nehemiah's Wall, and King David's Tomb. For those who would like, you can walk through Hezekiah's Water Tunnel , which diverts the water from the Gihon Spring to the Pool of Siloam. For the others, you can walk the Canaanite Dry Tunnel . We'll then all meet and see the Pool of Siloam , where Christ healed a blind man. We’ll then walk part of the Kidron Valley (Valley of Jehoshaphat), where God’s winepress of wrath will be poured out on the gathered nations at Christ's second coming and from where the blood (the height of a horse’s bridle) will flow to the Dead Sea and beyond. Free time afterward. Tour Day 11: Google Map Itinerary ​ THURS, MAY 16 NEGEV AREA Today, we’ll travel to Hebron , where Abraham had many encounters with God and from where King David reigned over Judah for 7 1/2 years. We'll begin by visiting the Oaks of Mamre , a preserved site over the place where Abraham lived for a period of time and had several amazing encounters with God. Just a short distance from the Oaks of Mamre is the place where the patriarchs are buried in the Cave of Machpelah . Close to Machpelah are the ruins of ancient Tel Hebron . We’ll then travel to Beersheba , where Abraham lived and made a covenant with Abimelech. Farewell Dinner at 6:30 pm. Free time afterward. Tour Day 12: Google Map Itinerary ​ FRI, MAY 17 JERUSALEM We’ll begin the day by seeing Pilate’s Palace and Gabbatha (stone pavement and judgment place where Christ was condemned to crucifixion). From there, we'll walk the biblical Via Dolorosa (painful path to the Cross) to Golgotha , where the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is today. We'll then visit and explore the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and see why it's the best candidate for Golgotha. We’ll walk the traditional path of the Via Dolorosa and see the Stations of the Cross . Then we'll walk to the Lions' Gate and see the famous Eastern Gate and Eastern Wall , where we'll see ancient stones dating back to the time of Solomon and see the evidence of the original Temple Mount and its expansions over the years. Then we'll see the Church of St. Anne, where the Pool of Bethesda is located, the place Jesus healed a sick man after he had waited 38 long years. Free time afterward. Tour Day 13: Google Map Itinerary ​ SAT, MAY 18 ISRAEL - HOME Unless you plan on continuing your stay in Israel, you’ll transfer to the airport and arrive home with wonderful memories of a visit to the Land of the Bible! ​ The hotel in Jerusalem ​(Prima Park) ​provides several options for direct transportation to Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv​ right from the hotel. All of them can be prearranged so you have no waiting time whatsoever. It is recommended to arrive at Ben Gurion Airport at least 4 hours in advance. This means you should leave Jerusalem 5 hours before your flight departure. Following are your transportation options: ​ 1. Taxi: C osts around $100 USD for up to 4 people (depending on how much luggage each person has). ​ 2. Shuttle Taxi: Costs around $120 USD for up to 6 people (depending on how much luggage each person has). ​ 3. 12-passenger Shuttle Bus: Costs around $25.00 USD per person. Please arrange transportation with the hotel front desk a day in advance. All transportation options take about an hour to reach the airport and run every day of the week, even on Shabbat (Saturday), the Sabbath. Google Map from Prima Park Hotel to Ben Gurion Airport ​ C li ck t o see "Ben Gurion Airport Departure Orientation Video" SUN, MAY 19 ARRIVE HOME Return home filled with an overflowing heart knowing that you walked in the footsteps of Christ and experienced the actual places where many of the events in the Bible took place. ​ ​ Anchor 3

Petra Trip Info & Payments Petra, Mt. Nebo, Madaba, Extension Private, Custom Tour ​ Because of all the Jordanian requirements, we have booked this trip via a trusted tour company in Israel called "Keshet Journeys." We have used their services before and were extremely pleased. They are a Christian-based travel agency. ​ This is a unique extension trip that is only being offered for this Holy Land Tour Trip. We want to do Bible teaching videos on Petra, Mt. Nebo, and Madaba, so this is the m ain reason for this trip. For this reason, Holy Land Site is paying its own trip expenses . We are happy to invite you to join our ministry family for this venture . ​ PETRA TRIP INFO ​ Dates November 4-5 Cost $485 per person (double occupancy per hotel room) $525 per person (single occupancy per hotel room) ​ Cost Includes 4 -Star Hotel Room in Petra Dinner & Breakfast at the Hotel in Petra All border crossing fees to and from Jordan Entry Pass to Petra Horseback ride in Petra Transportation via AC Deluxe bus with free Wifi Professional Tour Guide to accompany us. Jordan requires this (Todd Fink will still do all the Bible teachings and guiding) ​ Cost Does Not Include Breakfast and lunch - November 4 (we will pack our own lunch) L unch and dinner - November 5 (we will pack our own lunch) Tips (because Holy Land Site is not charging any extra costs, each participant will need to tip the bus driver and tour guide $15.00 USD each) Other tips, etc. How to Confirm Your Spot for This Trip ~ Payment Link Below Pay a deposit of $150.00 (non-refundable) ​ Final Payment Due by August 1, 2023 ~ Payment Link Below $335 balance (double hotel occupancy, non-refundable) $375 balance (single hotel occupancy, non-refundable) ITINERARY ​ DAY 1: NOV 4 - MT. NEBO & MADABA 7:00 – Depart Prima Hotel Jerusalem 8:00 – Cross border at Allenby Bridge 10:00 – Visit Mt. Nebo 1:00 – Visit Madaba 2:30 – Drive to Petra 5:30 – Arrive at Petra ​ DAY 2: NOV 5 - PETRA 7:30 – 1 :30 Visit Petra 1:30 – Depart Petra 5:00 – Cross border at Allenby Bridge 6:30 – Arrive in Jerusalem ​ REMINDER Hotel in Jerusalem: Don't forget to include lodging in Jerusalem for this extension trip if needed. To register for this trip, please fill out the registration form below. Most of the info is for the travel agency in Israel that will need the info for the border crossing into Jordan. ​ After filling out the form, please pay your deposit. Secure Payment Link Registration Deposit Payment To confirm your trip to Petra, please send your registration deposit of $150 by either credit card, PayPal, or check. The payment is set up for single and double payments. Just select the one that applies to you. ​ If paying by credit card or PayPal, a 4% fee is added to cover fees charged by credit cards and PayPal. If paying by credit card or PayPal, click the button below. ​ PayPal does not require you to create a PayPal account to use your credit card. Single Person Payment $150 Double Person Payment $300 If you would like to avoid the Credit Card fees, then you can send your check to the following address if you live in the U.S.A. or Canada. ​ Holy Land Site (make check payable to this name, please) 196 Hambrick Ave. Sutherlin, OR 97479 ​ ​ Secure Payment Link Final Payment Due by August 1, 2023 To pay the balance of your trip to Petra, please pay by credit card, PayPal, or check. The payment is set up for single and double payments. Just select the one that applies to you. ​ If paying by credit card or PayPal, a 4% fee is added to cover fees charged by credit cards and PayPal. If paying by credit card or PayPal, click the button below. ​ PayPal does not require you to create a PayPal account to use your credit card. Single Person Payment $375 Double Person Payment $670 If you would like to avoid the Credit Card fees, then you can send your check to the following address if you live in the U.S.A. or Canada. ​ Holy Land Site (make check payable to this name, please) 196 Hambrick Ave. Sutherlin, OR 97479 ​ ​

Mount of Olives: End Times Explained Mt. of Olives: End Times Explained Welcome to the Holy Land and the biblical site of the Mt. of Olives. See the Bible come to life as we take a look at an event from Scripture that is one of the greatest that will ever take place. On the Mt. of Olives, Christ, along with the angels and armies of heaven (who are believers) will return in power and great glory at the end of the Great Tribulation Period. The return of Christ to earth will be one of the greatest culminating events prophesied in Scripture. Let’s look at some fascinating aspects about this great event. Every being that has ever been created will see it. Rev. 1:7: “Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.” It conquers and flips all evil powers into submission to Christ. Rev. 19:15: “From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.” Christ coming will be in extreme power and great glory. Matt. 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. 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. 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.” Revelation 6:12-17: “When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?" Christ will physically arrive and touch down right here on the Mt. of Olives. Zech. 14:1-4: “Behold, a day is coming for the LORD, when the spoil taken from you will be divided in your midst. For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city shall be taken and the houses plundered and the women raped. Half of the city shall go out into exile, but the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle. 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.” Believers and angels will return with Christ in power and great glory as well. Revelation 19:11-21: “Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, "Come, gather for the great supper of God, to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great." And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.” Christ will then judge the nations and separate the sheep, who are believers, from the goats who are unbelievers. Revelation 14:14-20: “Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand. And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, “Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.” So he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle across the earth, and the earth was reaped. Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, the angel who has authority over the fire, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe.” 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. 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 (this would be 200 miles and would end at the Red Sea). The judgment on unbelievers will be severe. Here’s just a partial glimpse of what it will be like. Zechariah 14:12: “And this shall be the plague with which the LORD will strike all the peoples that wage war against Jerusalem: their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths.” What can we observe and learn from these events that will happen at this significant place? Every being that has ever been created will see Christ’s return in power and great glory. Christ’s return conquers and flips all evil powers into submission to Him. Christ coming will be in extreme power and great glory. Christ will physically arrive and touch down right here on the Mt. of Olives Believers and angels will return with Christ in power and great glory as well. Christ will then judge the nations and separate the sheep, who are believers from the goats, who are unbelievers. What about us? Are we living a devoted life to Christ and serving Him? Are we living a life that is watchful and ready? Will we be the ones who come with Christ at His return or those whom Christ judges?

Ancient Shiloh Photo Gallery Places of Interest Shiloh Location 1. Shiloh is about 20 miles (32 km.) north of Jerusalem on Hwy. 60. 2. It was on a major north-south travel route that linked Beersheba in the south to Shechem and the northern cities of Israel. 3. Shiloh was located on a hilltop which made it defensible. 4. It had hills surrounding it, so when the nation gathered at Shiloh for feasts, they could camp around it and partake of the events. As a result, many pieces of pottery have been found on the hills around Shiloh. 5. Tel Shiloh is at an archaeological park called "Ancient Shiloh," located at the entrance to modern-day Shiloh. 6. Shiloh was in the hill country of Samaria within the tribal allotment of Ephraim. 7. It was likely chosen as the capital and military base of Israel due to its central location within the country. Historical Background 1. Shiloh was the religious and military capital of Israel during the times of the Judges, and the tabernacle resided here for 369 years. 2. It was the first place where the tabernacle became a permanent structure. 3. Two million Jews would gather at Shiloh on the main festivals and would camp on the surrounding hills. 4. The Ark of the Covenant resided here within the tabernacle. The ark contained the following 3 items: Tablets of the 10 Commandments. Aaron’s staff, or rod that budded. Jar of Manna 5. During the Byzantine Period, at least three churches were built to commemorate Shiloh. 6. The first Byzantine church dates to around 386 AD. It is likely this church was built over the ruins of an ancient synagogue. On the mosaic floor a t the entrance of this church is an impressive inscription stating: “Lord Jesus Christ, have pity on Shiloh and its inhabitants. Amen.” This is one of the ways we know this place is the authentic Shiloh. ​ 7. On top of the first Byzantine church, a reconstructed 6th-century Byzantine church was built. ​ 8. Southeast of the northern churches, there is another 6th-century Byzantine church called the Basilica Church. A Danish team in the 1930s added the building over the south eastern 6th-century Byzantine church base seen today. ​ 9. A Mosque was built on the west side of the ruins of the first two 4th-century Byzantine churches and named Jamia el Arbain. Places of Interest 1. Oil Press ​ 2. Building with Hologram of the t abernacle 3. Southeastern 6th-century Byzantine church (Basilica Church) 4. Northern 4th and 6th-century Byzantine Church Ruins (The 4th-century church contains the inscription with the name "Shiloh.") ​ 5. Ruins of the mosque built on the west side of the northern 4th and 6th-century Byzantine Church Ruins ​ 6. Stone of four-horned altar ​ 7 . Baptistry ​ 6. Visitor Tower ​ 7. Tabernacle Location ​ 8. Cisterns ​ 9. Storerooms ​ 10. Canaanite Wall ​ 11. Winepress Shiloh In the Bible 1. During the conquest of the Promised Land (7-year period), the Tabernacle resided principally at Gilgal (Josh. 4:19–24). 2. After the conquest of the land was basically complete, the Tabernacle was set up in Shiloh, where it would reside for 369 years. J oshua 18:1: Then the whole congregation of the people of Israel assembled at Shiloh and set up the tent of meeting there . The land lay subdued before them. 3. At Shiloh, lots were cast to divide the land among the 7 tribes who had not yet received their inheritance on the west side of the Jordan River. Ruben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had already received their portion on the east side of the Jordan, and Judah and Joseph had already received theirs on the west side. Joshua 18:2–3: There remained among the people of Israel seven tribes whose inheritance had not yet been apportioned. 3 So Joshua said to the people of Israel, “How long will you put off going in to take possession of the land, which the Lord, the God of your fathers, has given you? Joshua 18:8–10: So the men arose and went, and Joshua charged those who went to write the description of the land, saying, “Go up and down in the land and write a description and return to me. And I will cast lots for you here before the Lord in Shiloh .” 9 So the men went and passed up and down in the land and wrote in a book a description of it by towns in seven divisions. Then they came to Joshua to the camp at Shiloh , 10 and Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the Lord. And there Joshua apportioned the land to the people of Israel, to each his portion. 4. From Shiloh, Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh departed for their homes east of the Jordan River. Joshua 22:9: So the people of Reuben and the people of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh returned home, parting from the people of Israel at Shiloh , which is in the land of Canaan, to go to the land of Gilead, their own land of which they had possessed themselves by command of the LORD through Moses. 5. After departing from Shiloh to return home, the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh built an altar at the Jordan River. The rest of the tribes misunderstood their purpose for the altar and met at Shiloh to go and fight against them. Joshua 22:12: And when the people of Israel heard of it, the whole assembly of the people of Israel gathered at Shiloh to make war against them. The intent of the 2 ½ tribes was to erect an altar as a witness to future generations that they were part of the 9 ½ tribes on the west side of the Jordan River. When the 9 ½ tribes understood their purpose, they returned home in peace. 6. During a dark time in the book of Judges, the Benjamite tribe was almost wiped out by the other tribes of Israel because of their severe disobedience to God. In order to revive the population of Benjamin, wives were provided for them at Shiloh. Judges 21:19–21: So they said, “Behold, there is the yearly feast of the Lord at Shiloh , which is north of Bethel, on the east of the highway that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah.” 20 And they commanded the people of Benjamin, saying, “Go and lie in ambush in the vineyards 21 and watch. If the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in the dances, then come out of the vineyards and snatch each man his wife from the daughters of Shiloh , and go to the land of Benjamin. 7. At Shiloh, Hannah prayed for a son. God heard her prayers and blessed her with Samuel. 1 Samuel 1:3–5: Now this man used to go up year by year from his city to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh , where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests of the Lord. 4 On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters. 5 But to Hannah , he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb. 1 Samuel 1:9–11: After they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh , Hannah rose. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the Lord. 10 She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. 11 And she vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.” 8. To Shiloh, Hannah brought Samuel and consecrated him to the Lord’s service. 1 Samuel 1:24–28: And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and she brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh . And the child was young. 25 Then they slaughtered the bull, and they brought the child to Eli. 26 And she said, “Oh, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to the Lord. 27 For this child, I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to him. 28 Therefore I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he lives, he is lent to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there. 9. The sanctuary in Shiloh was called a "temple," as noted in 1 Samuel 1:9, 3:3. It had doorposts and doors as seen in 1 Samuel 1:9, 3:15. It was, therefore, a more durable structure than the old Tent of Meeting (tabernacle). 10. The tabernacle at Shiloh was presided over by Eli and his wicked sons. Then, through the prophet Samuel, the doom of their house was announced. 1 Samuel 3:11–13: Then the Lord said to Samuel, “Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which the two ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. 12 On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. 3 And I declare to him that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them. 11. In a battle with the Philistines, the ark was captured. As a result, the fall of Hophni and Phinehas, and the death of Eli happened near Shiloh. 1 Samuel 4:16–18: And the man said to Eli, “I am he who has come from the battle; I fled from the battle today.” And he said, “How did it go, my son?” 17 He who brought the news answered and said, “Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has also been a great defeat among the people. Your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured.” 18 As soon as he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell over backward from his seat by the side of the gate, and his neck was broken and he died, for the man was old and heavy. He had judged Israel forty years. 12. The Ark of the Covenant was returned to Beth Shemesh by the Philistines and wound up staying at the house of Abinadab for 20 years (1 Sam. 7:1). 13. Eventually, King David would take the ark to the City of David (1 Chron. 13, 15), and then it would be moved to the temple Solomon built (2 Chron. 5:2). The tabernacle was taken to Gibeon (1 Chron. 21:29) but didn’t have the ark in it. After the temple was instituted, the tabernacle at Gibeon went by the wayside. 14. After the Kingdom of Israel was divided, Jeroboam, King of the Northern Tribes, erected golden calf altars in Bethel and Dan for the worship of false gods. Over time, Shiloh fell into ruins and came under judgment from God. Psalm 78:59–61: When God heard, he was full of wrath, and he utterly rejected Israel. He forsook his dwelling at Shiloh , the tent where he dwelt among mankind, and delivered his power to captivity, his glory to the hand of the foe. Jeremiah 7:12: Go now to my place that was in Shiloh , where I made my name dwell at first, and see what I did to it because of the evil of my people Israel. Faith Lesson from Shiloh 1. Shiloh was a place of rich blessing and rejoicing when the Israelites obeyed God. Do we understand that obeying and serving God brings life and fulfills our souls? 2. Because of the sins of Eli and his sons, God judged Shiloh. What kind of leaders are we, and do we realize how our leadership affects our families and ministries? ​ 3. The prophet Samuel was raised by the same father as the sons of Eli. Regardless of our past and the baggage and problems we might have, God's grace is enough to give us victory over our past. What about us? Do we have victory over our past, or do we use our past as an excuse for our problems? 3. Hannah prayed for a child at Shiloh, and God heard her. Like Hannah, do we pray for our needs, and do we pray with the right motives? 4. Shiloh was also a place of deep disaster with a bitter ending. Its end was judgment because of the continual sin of God’s people. Do we realize the danger of allowing sin in our lives and the consequences it can bring?

The City of Dan Photo Gallery Places of Interest Dan Location 1. The city of Dan was located in the northernmost part of Israel, about 24 miles (38 km.) north of the Sea of Galilee. 2. It is a well-watered lush area superb for agriculture. Historical Background 1. The tribe of Dan failed to take the original territory allotted to them, so they captured and moved to this area (Judges 18). 2. When referring to all Israel, the phrase “From Dan to Beersheba” was commonly used. 1 Kings 4:25: Judah and Israel lived safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon. 3. Just after Solomon’s reign, the kingdom of Israel was divided because Solomon turned from the Lord and introduced the worship of false gods into the nation. 1 Kings 11:1–2: Now King Solomon loved many foreign women along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women, 2 from the nations concerning which the Lord had said to the sons of Israel, “You shall not associate with them, nor shall they associate with you, for they will surely turn your heart away after their gods .” Solomon held fast to these in love. 1 Kings 11:6–11: Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and did not follow the Lord fully, as David his father had done. 7 Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the detestable idol of Moab, on the mountain which is east of Jerusalem, and for Molech the detestable idol of the sons of Ammon. 8 Thus also he did for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods. 9 Now the Lord was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned away from the Lord , the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice , 10 and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods ; but he did not observe what the Lord had commanded. 11 So the Lord said to Solomon, “Because you have done this, and you have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you , and will give it to your servant. 4. Rehoboam was given the southern 2 tribes of Israel (called Judah from this time forward), and Jeroboam received the northern 10 tribes of Israel (called Israel from this time forward). Places of Interest 1. Entrance 2. Dan Spring 3. Dan River 4. Flour Mills 5. Pooh Bear Tree 6. Pistachio Tree 7. Wading Pool 8. Jeroboam’s Golden Calf High Place 9. Command Post Lookout 10. Israelite Outer Gate 11. Israelite Inner Gate 12. Canaanite Gate ​ The City of Dan in the Bible 1. God appeared to Jeroboam and promised to bless him if he would serve Him. 1 Kings 11:38: Then it will be, that if you listen to all that I command you and walk in My ways, and do what is right in My sight by observing My statutes and My commandments, as My servant David did, then I will be with you and build you an enduring house as I built for David, and I will give Israel to you. 2. Jeroboam turned away from the Lord and built golden calves in Bethel and Dan. 1 Kings 12:25-31: Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and lived there. And he went out from there and built Penuel. 26 Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now the kingdom will return to the house of David. 27 If this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will return to their lord, even to Rehoboam king of Judah; and they will kill me and return to Rehoboam king of Judah.” 28 So the king consulted, and made two golden calves , and he said to them, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem; behold your gods, O Israel, that brought you up from the land of Egypt.” 29 He set one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan . 30 Now this thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one as far as Dan. 31 And he made houses on high places, and made priests from among all the people who were not of the sons of Levi. 3. After a severe warning from God, Jeroboam continued in sin. The worship of false gods would eventually seal the doom of the northern 10 tribes of Israel. 1 Kings 13:33–34: Even after this, Jeroboam did not change his evil ways, but once more appointed priests for the high places from all sorts of people. Anyone who wanted to become a priest he consecrated for the high places. 34 This was the sin of the house of Jeroboam that led to its downfall and to its destruction from the face of the earth. 4. The sin of Jeroboam became a pattern that the rest of the kings of Israel would follow. 1 Kings 15:33–34: In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha son of Ahijah became king of all Israel in Tirzah, and he reigned twenty-four years. 34 He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, walking in the ways of Jeroboam and in his sin, which he had caused Israel to commit. 1 Kings 16:26: He [Omri] walked in all the ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat and in his sin, which he had caused Israel to commit, so that they provoked the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger by their worthless idols. 5. In 722 BC, as judgment from God for their continual disobedience, the 10 northern tribes of Israel were deported by the Assyrian Empire. 6. Eighty years later, Josiah became King of Judah and chose to follow God with all his heart. As a result of finding and reading the Scriptures, he led one of the most significant revivals Israel ever experienced. 2 Kings 22:1–2: Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. His mother's name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah; she was from Bozkath. 2 He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and walked in all the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left. 2 Kings 23:25: Before him, there was no king like him who turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; nor did any like him arise after him. 7. As a result of Josiah’s obedience, he renewed the covenant of the Lord with Israel and destroyed the golden calves Jeroboam had erected. 2 Kings 23:15: Furthermore, the altar that was at Bethel and the high place which Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel sin, had made, even that altar and the high place he broke down. Then he demolished its stones, ground them to dust, and burned the Asherah. 2 Kings 23:19: Josiah also removed all the houses of the high places which were in the cities of Samaria , which the kings of Israel had made provoking the Lord; and he did to them just as he had done in Bethel. Faith Lesson from the city of Dan 1. Despite God supernaturally revealing Himself two times to Solomon, he turned away from the Lord in his latter years. There is a tendency to grow apathetic the longer we are Christians. Are you apathetic and lukewarm in your relationship with God? 2. Despite God supernaturally revealing himself two times to Jeroboam, he turned his back on God and built altars to false gods all throughout the land. God gives grace to each person to receive and obey Him, but those who reject Him and His grace will be judged accordingly. 3. The sin of Jeroboam became a pattern that the rest of the kings of the northern tribes of Israel followed. What kind of example are we? Are we following the sinful patterns of our parents and those around us? 4. In 722 BC, the 10 northern tribes of Israel were deported because of their refusal to return to God. 5. The worship of false gods at Bethel and Dan became the downfall of the northern tribes of Israel. False gods and idols can be anything we make more important in our lives than God. Do you have any idols in your life? 6. Josiah chose to follow God with all his heart and tore down the two golden calf altars Jeroboam had set up. Do we follow God with all our heart like Josiah, and work with God to tear down the lies and false philosophies of Satan and the world with God’s Word (2 Cor. 10:4–5)?

Qasr al Yahud Baptismal Site of Jesus Photo Gallery Places of Interest Jordan River Baptismal Site of Jesus Qasr al-Yehud Location There are two main baptismal sites on the Jordan River. Qasr al-Yahud Baptismal Site 1. It’s 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 quite 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. ​ 6. For those desiring to get baptized here in the Jordan River, the Qsar al-Yahud gift shop provides white robes and towels for a small fee. ​ 7. Qsar al-Yahud also has a gift shop for the purchase of souvenirs and other miscellaneous items. ​ Yardenit Baptismal Site 1. Yardenit is just a couple hundred yards (meters) west of Hwy. 90, at the southern tip of the Sea of Galilee. 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. For more, please see the Yardenit Baptismal Site. ​ Historical Background 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 72 times in the New Testament and, therefore, shows the value God places upon it. Places of Interest 1. Qasr al-Yahud Baptismal Site 2. Hwy. 90 3. Jew’s Palace (Castle of the Jews) 4. Jordanian Baptismal Site of Jesus 5. St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church: On the Jordanian Site of the river. ​ 6. Original Church of John the Baptist. There have been at least 5 churches built at this location dating back to the first and second centuries AD. ​ 7. Cave of John the Baptist ​ 8. Greek Orthodox Church of St John the Baptist 9. The believed location where the Israelites crossed the Jordan River to enter the Promised Land. ​ 10. This area is also associated with the ascension of the Prophet Elijah into heaven, which is commemorated at a hill called Tell Mar Elias or Jabal Mar-Elias (Elijah’s Hill). ​ Baptism in the Bible 1. Baptism in the Old Testament. Baptism in the Old Testament had a different name and purpose than believers' baptism in the New Testament. It served as a purification ritual that happened regularly. Before entering the temple, synagogue, or entering any religious building, the Jews would purify themselves (ritual cleansing) in Mikvahs (purification pools). They also purified themselves before the Sabbath, feast days, and so forth. Purification for a Jew was a regular part of life. Purification involved confession of sin, entering a pool of water, immersing oneself completely, and putting on a new change of clothes. Mikvahs were found everywhere and some of the wealthier population had their own private mikvahs. 2. The Baptism of John the Baptist. John’s baptism picked up on this Jewish concept and took it a step further. His baptism was primarily a baptism of repentance in preparation for the coming Messiah. Matthew 3:1–6: In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’” 4 Now John wore a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, 6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 3. Jesus was baptized by John. Matthew 3:13–17: Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus was baptized , immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” 4. Why did Jesus get baptized if He was God in the flesh and perfect? After all, the purpose for Baptism in Jesus’ day was a baptism of repentance. Jesus permitted John the Baptist to baptize Him in order to fulfill all righteousness. He was setting an example for all to follow. Jesus didn’t repent of anything because He was perfect. It also gave God an opportunity to speak audibly and show His pleasure and affirmation of Christ as the Son of God. 5. The Baptism of Jesus. The message and baptism of Jesus dealt with repentance from sin and acceptance of Himself as the Messiah. Matthew 4:17: From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” John 4:1–3: Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John 2 (although Jesus himself did not baptize , but only his disciples), 3 he left Judea and departed again for Galilee. 6. Baptism in the rest of the New Testament. Baptism always followed salvation and was an outward proclamation of an inner conversion. On the day of Pentecost 3,000, people were saved and were baptized. They would have used the existing Jewish mikvahs as baptismal pools. Acts 2:41: So those who received his word were baptized , and there were added that day about three thousand souls. Baptism was an act of obedience symbolizing the believer's faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Savior. Romans 6:1–3: What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. In the same way Jesus died, was buried, and rose again to new life, baptism follows this same pattern. The believer’s placement under the water symbolizes burial and death to sin, and rising up out of the water symbolizes new life in Christ. Baptism does not save us in and of itself; it follows salvation and expresses what has already taken place in the heart of a believer. Baptism is a declaration to others that we are identifying ourselves with Christ and are now one of His disciples. Baptism is commanded in many passages of the Bible and unless we are unable to do so for some unique reason, we should get baptized. Matthew 28:18–20: And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Acts 2:37–38: Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Faith Lesson from Baptism 1. Jesus didn’t need to be baptized but did so in order to be an example for us. 2. If we are genuine believers in Christ and have not been baptized, we should do so in order to obey Christ. 3. Baptism does not save us in and of itself, but when connected with our faith in Christ, it cleanses us of sin, identifies us with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, and declares to others that we are followers of Christ. 4. Baptism symbolizes our newness of life in Christ and that we are now dead to being controlled and defeated by sin. Romans 6:4: We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. ​