And all too soon, the major part of our trip is over. Today is our last day with Oak Hall tour. We’ve got another week left in Israel before we leave next Saturday. It’s been one of those times when it seems weeks and weeks ago that we started the tour. And yet in another way, it’s hard to believe that it’s already over and surely we’ve just started? A major and intense learning experience. Tiring but fun. Full and densely-packed.

A hot dry wind blowing. The hottest day we’ve experienced so far. We packed up and left on the bus after breakfast. Heading back south-west to Tel Aviv on the coast. Most of the group are heading back to England or other parts of Great Britain. We went with them on the bus to Tel Aviv.

On the way we passed the high rounded mountain that is called Mount Tabor. Or the Mount of Transfiguration. Paul (our tour guide) read the story of Jesus’s time there on the mountain with Peter, James and John and their experience of seeing him utterly transformed and talking with the ancient men of Moses and Elijah.

Then we started travelling across the flat plains of the Jezreel Valley. In the far distance it’s ringed with mountains. But it’s long and very flat. It’s the biggest plain I’ve seen in Israel. Not that it is. I don’t know. But it’s the biggest plain that I saw. It’s called the Plain of Armageddon.

The yellow mounded hill is what’s left of the city of Megiddo

On the edge of this plain, before the mountains start rising again, is a sizable hill. Called Megiddo. Twenty-one cities down through ancient times have been built on it. It’s that slice of archaeological layer-cake again. Civilisations down through the centuries have built on the previous civilisations that they’ve overturned and over-run.

Looking from Megiddo back across the Armageddon plain to the far mountains.

Lots of people wanted to own it. It’s on a major trade route for the different countries. And whoever got to control it got to have a lot of influence. And a lot of taxes from the passing trade. So a popular place.

I’m not sure why now “Armageddon” in our culture has such overtones of dread and major conflict and end times. In movies and books. Maybe it’s a symbol for so many major wars and battles that have been fought so fiercely there.

King Solomon – the king of Israel who followed on after his father King David – controlled Megiddo in his time. Part of the uncovered ruins are his horse stables. Solomon was the Israelite king who copied and developed the new technology of chariots for warfare.

Solomon was famous for lots of things. Lots of wives and women. Lots of wealth. Lots of horses. But he still forgot about following God after a while.

In Solomon’s stables, at the horse troughs

At Megiddo the ancient kings (I forget which one) dug a long, very deep channel  down through the rocks to their water source so they could resist sieges from their enemies. But in the end, the various civilisations were over-run.

Whilst we were deep down the dark, narrow water shaft – which unlike Hezekiah’s tunnel – this one is dry except for a little puddle right at the end – our guide Paul read wise words from a ancient man called Job, “God said to the human race, “Reverence of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.”

Soon we rolled into Tel Aviv airport. Quick goodbyes to everyone as they headed for their planes back home. It’s a great way to know people quickly. I loved hearing their stories and about their spiritual journeys through life.

One of the things we’ve learnt since being here is that it’s much harder to travel around Israel on the Sabbath. Public transport stops. So it’s taxis for transport. Fortunately we were able to share a taxi from the airport to our hotel in Tel Aviv. We’re not far from the beach. But we’re a bit weary to venture out this evening. Tel Aviv seems dusty – probably with the hot winds – and crowded and noisy.

Tomorrow we head back to Galilee. Our original plan was to do lots of walking in the Galilee hills. But we may revise that. We’ll see. You never know what’s around the next corner. Just that we know that God will be there!

A round Canaanite altar at Megiddo