It’s Official: It’s a Persimmon

The picture below of Maria was a hilarious way to end an enchanting and varied day.  The table was trying to identify a UFO (unidentifiable food object).  With some help from a waiter we discovered it was a persimmon.  Then Maria googled a picture and said, “Its official, its a persimmon.” We cracked up.  It was a light-hearted way to end the day.

And quite a day it was.  We left the hotel and headed up to the Golan Heights.  Along the way Nir described the events of the 1967 and 1973 wars as well as Biblical sites we were passing. (For example: Hazor, the town from which it is believe Sisera came from).

First stop: Ne’Ot Mordecai and the Naot Shoe Factory.  Several of our group contributed to the Israeli economy, fulfilling the 11th commandment.

We then went to Dan.  When describing the land, its boundaries were listed as “from Dan to Beer Sheva.”  Dan holds several gems.  It was the place where one of the first evidences of the Davidic kingdom was found.  An inscription from the King of Aram states that he had just defeated someone who was a descendent of David.  Jeroboam established a worship center here, worshipping a golden calf, so the people would not return to Jerusalem to worship.  And on the east side of the tel of Dan we found the ancient gate where Abraham entered Dan as he chased the five kings north from the Dead Sea area to retrieve his nephew Lot and family.  From that gate you can also see an 11th century castle named Nimrod.  Three thousand years of history represented in such a small area!

At Caesarea Philippi we discussed the great confession of Peter:  “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”  And the gates of Hell will not prevail against the Church.  This passage takes on new meaning when you realize that the gates of hell were right in front of them at the temple of Pan.

Following lunch at a Druze village, we stopped at the memorial at the Valley Of Tears, viewing a desperate battle ground in the 1973 war.  It was humbling to look over into Syria and understand the sacrifice a few made to preserve the nation.

An enlightening visit to the Talmudic era Jewish village of Qatzrin showed us exactly how they were living in that time.  It was helpful to understand how difficult life was for them then yet how much they desired to honor the Lord.

The highlight of the day was one baptism and 13 remembrances of other baptisms.  Denise Scheig gave her testimony and took her stand for Christ through baptism.  The pictures of her and others are below.

Tomorrow, we head into the Hashemite kingdom of Jordan.


































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