Gates of Thanksgiving

04 December – 11 December 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:  Saturday 04 December 2023

Johannesburg – Tel Aviv

Our journey begins as we depart on overnight flight.

Day 2:   Sunday 05 December 2023

Tel Aviv, Jaffa, Mt Carmel, Jezreel – Megiddo Valley, Nazareth, Mt Precipe

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. We visit Mt. Carmel where Elijah challenged King Ahab and the prophets of Baal.  Jezreel Valley to Megiddo, the Armageddon Battlefield. We visit Mount Precipice, where Yeshua escaped the attempt of throwing him off the cliff.

Meals: Breakfast, and Dinner.

Day 3:  Monday 06 December 2023

Nazareth, Cana, Mt Tabor – Transfiguration, Mount of the Beatitudes, Tabgha, Capernaum

This morning we visit Nazareth where Yeshua spent his boyhood years before beginning his ministry at the age of 30. We travel to Cana of Galilee where Yeshua performed His first miracle at the wedding. We are ascending Mt. Tabor for a spectacular view, the place of transfiguration and ascension of Yeshua. 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.

Day 4:  Tuesday 07 December 2023

Ancient Boat, Sail on Galilee Boat, Bethabara – Baptism, Jericho, Wadi Qilt

Early morning after breakfast we visit conitinue our journey with a spectacular finding of the ancient 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 take a journey through the Judean desert to the Baptism Site, the Biblical place Bethabara that played an important role in the life of Yeshua, as he returned there many times after his baptism. He went there 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 continue to Jericho, where God had an awesome plan for the battle of Jericho. The scriptures describes the Israelites being led by Joshua crossing the Jordan where they laid siege to the city of Jericho. We visit the Mount of Temptation where Yeshua was tempted by Satan after fasting 40 days & 40 Nights. We visit a Sycamore Tree where Zacchaeus climbed up to see Yeshua passing by. Next is Wadi Qilt where we will spend some time in prayer. David’s flight from Absalom (2 Sam 15-16), Zedekiah’s flight from the Babylonians (2 Kgs 25:4), the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), and Yeshua travelled from Jericho to Jerusalem (Luke 19:28).

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner.

Day 5:  Wednesday 08 December 2023

Bethlehem, Shepherd Field, Qumran, Dead Sea,

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 start heading towards Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered.  Afterwards we proceed the Dead Sea where you will end  the day with a relaxing float in the Dead Sea. v

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner.

Day 6:  Thursday 09 December 2023

Mt Zion, Last Supper Room, Tomb of King David,Walls of Jerusalem, Cardo, Jewish Quarters, Western Wall, Southern Wall, Golden Gate, Mount of Olives, Dominus Flevit,  Palm Sunday road , Church of All Nations, Garden of Gethsemane

We start at Zion Gate and visit the Upper Room (Luke 22) 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 exit the Dung Gate to view the Southern Wall Excavations and the Temple Stairs. We walk pass the Mercy Gate to the Golden Gate. 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.

Day 7:  Friday 10 December 2023

Caiaphas House, Panoramic view, Pools of Bethsaida, St. Anne, Stations of the Cross, Golgotha, Garden Tomb, Ein Kerem, Abu Gosh

We visit the house of Caiaphas where Yeshua was kept during the night. Our day continue with the way of the cross starting at the Lions gate as we continue to the Pools of Bethsaida John 5:2-9  Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades, 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 the place where the soldiers plaited a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and arrayed him in a purple robe (“behold [the] man” John 19. We continue to the Stations of the Cross starting where Yeshua was condemned to death(Mark 15: 1-15, Matthew 27:23-31), Yeshua takes up the Cross (John 19:13-17, John 19: 5),  Yeshua falls for the first time (Isaiah 53: 4-7, Matthew 11:28-30). Yeshua meets his Mother (John 19: 25-27), Simon of Cyrene helps Yeshua carry his Cross, (Mark 15: 21), Yeshua consoles the women of Jerusalem, (Luke 22: 28-32), Yeshua stripped of his garments (John 19: 23-24), Yeshua nailed to the Cross , (Luke 23: 33-43), Yeshua dies on the Cross (John 19: 28-37, Matthew 27: 50), Yeshua taken down from the Cross, (John 19: 38-40), Yeshua is laid in the Tomb (Mark 15: 46-47) We end at Golgotha (Matthew 27:33, Mark 15:22, Luke 23:33, John 19:17) and the Garden Tomb. Our journey continues 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 make our way to the airport for our way back home

Meals: Breakfast

Day 8:  Saturday 11 December 2023

Home

We on our way home with mind and hearts filled with a new and revived passion of Faith. We say goodbye to our new friends and Jerusalem remains on our lips.