Called By Name – Israel

01 September – 10 September 2023

Genesis 12:1-3

Now Adonai said to Abram, “Get yourself out of your country, away from your kinsmen and away from your father’s house, and go to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make of you a great nation, I will bless you, and I will make your name great; and you are to be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, but I will curse anyone who curses you; and by you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”

Day 1: Departure from Johannesburg: (Sunday 01 September 2023)

Our journey begins as we depart on overnight flight.  We travel with our overnight bags as our suitcases will be forwarded to Israel.

Day 2:  (Monday 02 September 2023)

Tel Aviv,Jaffa, Caesarea Maritima, Mt Carmel, Jezreel – Megiddo Valley, Haifa, Akko, Nazareth

The Bible stories comes alive as we start our journey reading the Scriptures. We take a drive to Joppa the oldest port of Israel. We visit the charismatic and beautiful city of Jaffa the oldest port city in the world that dates back thousands of years and is where St. Peter had his vision on the rooftop of the House of Simon the Tanner and raised Tabitha from the dead. Jonah set sail to Tarshish from Jaffa and King Solomon built his port on the Mediterranean there.  After enjoying the few over the Mediterranean sea we will drive to Caesarea, where Gentiles first heard the Good News from Peter and were baptized. We’ll see the Roman Amphitheatre, hippodrome, a film on history and remains of this famous port city, and aqueduct, and then journey proceed to Haifa for a panoramic view. We continue to Mt. Carmel where Elijah challenged King Ahab and the prophets of Baal. We drive through the Jezreel Valley to Megiddo, the Armageddon Battlefield, where archaeologists have unearthed 20 levels of civilization.   We visit Haifa and Akko. Yeshua returned to Nazareth after his baptism and visit the local synagogue declaring in public, that he is the Messiah. Rejecting his claim, the Nazarenes’ declare him as a false Messiah, and drag him to the “edge of the city“. They attempt to throw over the cliff, but “he passed through the midst of them and walked away” (Luke 4:29-30). We end the day in prayer on Mount Precipice that is 397 above Sea level. Our evening ends in Nazareth where Yeshua spent his boyhood years before beginning his ministry at the age of 30.

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner.                                     Overnight:  Nazareth or Tiberius

Day 3: (Tuesday 03 September 2023)

Nazareth , Cana, Mt. Tabor , Mount of the Beatitudes, Tabgha, Capernaum

We visit the Nazareth and make our way to Cana of Galilee where Yeshua performed His first miracle at the wedding. We ascending Mt. Tabor for a spectacular view, the place of transfiguration and ascension of Yeshua. Thereafter we enjoy special time at the Mount of the Beatitudes, the site of the Sermon on the Mount and for a beautiful view of the entire Galilee. We visit Tabgha the site of the multiplication of loaves and fishes. We descend for a visit to Capernaum which form what has been called the “evangelical triangle” because most of Yeshua’s miracles in Galilee were performed in these cities. Capernaum (The Town of Yeshua) we will visit the ruins of an ancient synagogue, where we’ll view the ruins of a 1st century synagogue and likely a location that Yeshua taught and a view of Peter’s home.

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner.                                     Overnight:  Nazareth or Tiberius

Day 4: (Wednesday 04 September 2023)

Yeshua Boat, Sail on Galilee Boat, Mt Arbel, Magdala, Tmar Bfar

This is an early morning for everyone. We continue our journey with a spectacular finding of the ancient Yeshua Boat located at the Nof Ginnosar Kibbutz. We enjoy relaxing Cruise on the Sea of Galilee and devotional on board brings to life the experiences of Yeshua and the fishermen disciples. We visit the ancient Yeshua Boat located at the Nof Ginnosar Kibbutz before we end the day with a relaxing cruise on the Sea of Galilee and devotional on board brings to life the experiences of Yeshua and the fishermen disciples. We enjoy an amazing outlook over the Sea of Galilee from Mt Arbel. Next we visit the Town where Mary Magdalene lived. The name “Magdala” comes from the word “tower” in Hebrew. Yeshua would have preached in Magdala during his ministry when he was based nearby in Capernaum. We stop over at Tmar Bfar where we will learn more about the fruit date trees in Israel.

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner.                                     Overnight:  Tiberius

Day 5: (Thursday 05 September 2023)

Judean Desert, Bethabara (Quasar-El-Yahud), Qumran Jericho – Wadi Qilt, Dead Sea, Ein Bokek

This is a very early morning departure through the Judean Desert. Our first will be at the Biblical Baptism site Bethabara, that played an important role in the life of Yeshua. After his rejection in Jerusalem during the Feast of Dedication, “He went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there he abode.” (John 10.40).  We visit Qumran where the Deadsea Scrolls were found and head to Ein Gedi, “Spring of the Goat,” an oasis on the western shore of the Dead Sea where David hid from Saul, and where God defeated the enemies of the Israelites by praise and worship led by King Jehoshaphat. Our day ends with a relaxing float in the Dead Sea. We continue to Jericho, the place where God had an awesome plan for the battle of Jericho. The scriptures describes the Israelites being led by Joshua and crossing the Jordan into Canaan where they laid siege to the city of Jericho. There, God spoke to Joshua telling him to go around the city once every day for six days with the seven priests carrying ram’s horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day they were to marched around the city seven times and the priests were to blow their ram’s horns. We visit the Mount of Temptation where Yeshua was tempted by Satan after fasting 40 days & 40 Nights. We an ancient Sycamore Tree where Zacchaeus climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Yeshua passing by.

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner.                                     Overnight:  Ein Bokek

Day 6: (Friday 06 September 2023)

Beersheva, Valley of Elah, Fiends of Zion, Jaffa Gate, Walls of Jerusalem, Mt Zion, Last Supper Room, Tomb of King David, Cardo, Jewish Quarters, Western Wall, Southern Wall

Our morning starts with the chapters of Sodom and Gomorrah while learning more about Abraham and his journey. In Beersheva we have special time learning about the 7 lambs and the Covenant made with Abraham. Here we discover how God used barren place to shape some of the most significant lives in the Scripture. After our extraordinary day, we will make it to the Valley of Elah where David fought Golaith. Our next stop will be at the Friends of Zion Museum for another surprise. We make our way to Jerusalem to the entrance at The Jaffa Gate. We explore the beautiful markets and take time for our first coffee in the Old City. Nehemiah 3 concerns itself with the specifics of rebuilding the walls and especially the 10 gates that separated each section of Jerusalem.  The significance of the Jaffa Gate known as the Gate of the Friend, the Gate of David’s Prayer. It marks the end of the road that led to Jerusalem from the ancient port of Jaffa and the beginning of one of two major axes that divide the Old City into four quarters.  We visit the Upper Room (Luke 22). We visit the traditional site where Yeshua instituted the “Last Supper” – Matthew 26:17-30; Mark 14:12-25; Luke 22:7-23; John 13:1—17:26.  Visit the Tomb of King David and walk through the historic Jewish Quarter, down the Cardo. On our way down the stairs we see the Golden Lamp Stand and enjoy prayer time at the Western Wall. We end fulfil Isaiah 62:6-7 by praying on the Walls of Jerusalem. We exit the Dung Gate to view the Southern Wall Excavations and the Temple Stairs.

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner.                                     Overnight: Jerusalem

Day 7:  (Saturday 07 September 2023)

Mount of Olives, Dominus Flevit, Palm Sunday road , Church of All Nations, Garden of Gethsemane

We head to the top of the Mount of Olives to stand where Yeshua had a breathtaking view of the city across the Kidron Valley to the Eastern Gate where the Prince of Peace will enter (Ezekiel 44) also the place where He ascended into heaven (Acts 1). We walk pass by Pater Noster Church and Dominus Flevit where “the Yeshua wept” as he beheld the Holy City and walk down the Palm Sunday Road to the Garden of Gethsemane and see 2,000 year old olive trees that date back to the time of Yeshua. We visit the Church of All Nations.  We spend time praying in the Garden.

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner.                                     Overnight: Jerusalem

Day 8:  (Sunday 08 September 2023)

Caiaphas House, Golden Gate, Pools of Bethsaida, Ecco Homo, Stations of the Cross, Golgotha, Garden Tomb

We visit St. Peter Galicantu also known as the House of Caiaphas. We walk pass the Mercy Gate and make our way up to the Golden Gate.  The way of the cross starts at the Lions gate as we continue to the Pools of Bethsaida also known to have supplied water to the First and Second Temples until Herod the Great’s time. These very baths are where the healing miracle of Yeshua took place.  We visit Ecco homo (“behold [the] man” John 19 where the soldiers plaited a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and arrayed him in a purple robe. We continue to the Stations of the Cross and end at Golgotha. We reach the climax of our tour when we visit the empty Garden Tomb, where we will celebrate the Resurrection with a time of prayer (Luke 23).

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner.                                     Overnight: Jerusalem

Day 9: (Monday 09 September 2023)

Bethlehem, Shepherd Field, Tomb of Samuel, Yad Vashem, Ein Kerem, Abu Gosh,  Tel Aviv

We journey to the Shepherds field and Bethlehem. Yeshua was born in Bethlehem, which was a fulfillment of prophecy (Micah 5:2; Luke 2:1-7) and also the place of death and burial for Rachel. The name Bethlehem actually means “house of bread.” Bethlehem was also the birthplace of David (2 Sam 23:24; 1 Chr 11:26). The roads descending to the east of Bethlehem lead through the Christian village of Beit Sahour (or Bait Sahur), which includes the Shepherds’ Fields identified since ancient times where the shepherds seen the Star. (Luke 2:8-10). We visit the Tomb of Samuel with an extraordinary view. Our journey continue to Ein Kerem a pilgrimage site where John the Baptist was born. Next we will have a visit to the village of Abu Gosh, it was known in Biblical Times as Kiryat Ye’arim, and was a ceremonial center where the Ark of the Covenant was placed. The biblical Kiryat Ye’arim, from where King David brought the Holy Shrine back to Jerusalem. We enjoy time at Carmel Market in Tel Aviv for last shopping and spend free time on the beach. We on our way home with mind and hearts filled with a new and revived passion of Faith.

Day 10: (Monday 10 September 2023)

Home

We arrive in South Africa after a wonderful spiritual time and new friends. May Jerusalem be on your lips.  Time to say goodbye having wonderful memories and treasure them in our hearts. Welcome home. Next year in Jerusalem