Another wonderful day! I pinch myself – and know myself incredibly blessed – that each day is so varied. So interesting. So much to see and learn.

First off. I forgot to show you the photo I took yesterday of a coney – the rock rabbits. I showed you one a few days ago, but I bet no-one could see it. It was such an obscure photo! This one is better I think.

And I’ll tell you another “small-world” story that happened to Philip today. He was chatting to the Canadian young man who has been leading the devotional and study times. This young man knows Rosie’s best friend in Canada. They studied at the same college and were in the same tutorials together.

A “bus day” today. Heading north into Upper Galilee and the Golan Heights. Beautiful countryside. Richly fertile with intensive agricultural orchards. High, steep, rounded hills covered with green grass and wildflowers everywhere. I had no idea how beautiful Galilee is.

We stopped at Tel Hazor. Tel means a mound or hill and it’s where they do archaelogical excavations. A bit like a layer cake, slicing through the different layers deciphering and interpreting the different civilisations down through the ages.

Hazor is north of the Sea of Galilee and was a huge city and civilisation predating the times of Abraham, right through to after King Solomon’s time until it was destroyed by Assyria. It was a sophisticated, strong and advanced civilisation and was in a strategic location on key trade routes between Africa and Asia. Hazor is mentioned many times in the Old Testament.

Paul, our study leader is brilliant at making ancient stones and the stories behind them come alive. Tying it all together into a cohesive whole and narrative that is easier to remember and put together. Instead of lots of random incidents you read about in the Bible. And then looking at a pile of rocks in front of you. How does it all fit together? There’s a flow to the events and the people of this land. But tragic to read of the rebellion of the people against following after God. Here he’s got Philip roped into being a part of his illustration for this part of the city of Hazor.

There’s a long water tunnel shaft – over 400 feet down – built through rocks. Built by King Ahab to keep the water springs inside the city if ever it was besieged. There’s still the original stone steps beside the modern archaeological  steel ones. The original chisel marks on the walls and roof. I walked down the steps to the bottom where there’s still a puddle of water. Much colder at the bottom of the shaft.

And here’s a trivial photo I took at the Hazor Tel. It mentions Perth, Western Australia!

We sometimes think of the Canaanite civilisation as a bit backward, but here’s a photo to show that they were using arches in doorways long before the Greeks or Romans. They used mud bricks for this building. It was the gate to the city.

And when they talk in the Bible about the kings sitting at the city gate, this is the base of what they sat on. And the round stones at the corner would hold a canopy for shade.

Then off in the bus to the Dan springs. One of the three springs from which the Jordan River starts. The rain and snow from nearby Mount Hermon percolates down through the limestone of the mountain, hits the basalt layer and rushes out through a hole in the ground. A beautifully clear, translucent pale blue-green stream. As you walk along in the nature reserve there, you hear the loud sound of the water rushing and gushing, heaving and tumbling over the rocks. And the tall green oaks and other trees overhead creating cool dense shade from the sunshine. The stream rushes off to become the Jordan River.

The source of the Jordan River, from under the stones on the right

Then a short bus ride to the nearby Herman Stream nature reserve. A picnic lunch under huge old mulberry trees.

The bus driver brought pita breads, tomatoes, cucumbers, hummus, cheeses and sliced Israeli sausage which is a vivid red colour. And you made your own. Delicious! Although I gave the Israeli sausage a miss. I’ve never thought it looked appetising!

Then a walk through the Herman Stream nature reserve. A look at the ruins of the Pan temple that was mainly after the time of Jesus.

Then a lovely walk beside the Herman stream which also starts as a spring and then becomes the Jordan River.

Beautiful old oak and other trees overhead, wildflowers blooming and the rushing, gurgling Herman stream in a hurry to become the Jordan River. We finished up at the Banias waterfall. Cooling, majestic, awe-inspiring. Created by a wonderful God.