Description
Israel Tour with Greg Bryan - January 2025
Dear friends,
From ancient times until today, pilgrims from every land have visited the land of the Bible. Perhaps this trip could be your opportunity to make such a pilgrimage. A visit to the Holy Land can deepen your faith in Christ and revolutionize your Bible study. It can be a great adventure in history and faith. In this land lie the ruins of the world’s most ancient civilizations. It is the land of Jesus and the prophets. No place has played a greater role in human history.
Picture yourself sailing in a boat like the disciples on the Sea of Galilee (“and Jesus said to them, follow me and I will make you become fishers of men” Mark 1:17), floating on the Dead Sea, seeing our Lord Jesus birthplace in Bethlehem, walking the streets of Jerusalem and having communion at the empty tomb where Jesus rose from the dead (“He is not here; He has risen, just as He said, come see the place where he lay” Matthew 28:6) At the end of this tour two things will most certainly be changed. You and your understanding of the Bible.
I look forward to walking in the footsteps of Jesus with you. I invite you to join me on this life-changing tour.
For His glory,
Greg Bryan - Acts 20:24
What's Included
Our tours are all-inclusive. Always.
Videos
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Itinerary
Day by Day
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Tuesday
Tel Aviv, Jaffa, NetanyaUpon arrival in Tel Aviv we are met by our guide who will be with us for the time we are in the Holy Land. Board our bus and travel through Tel Aviv, the largest city in Israel. Our first stop will be at Jaffa (Joppa), the city of Jonah, where Peter had his housetop experience at the home of Simon the Tanner. We proceed to the city of Netanya, on the Mediterranean to our hotel where we will check in overnight.
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Wednesday
Caesaria, Megiddo, TiberiasThis morning we proceed to Caesarea, capital of the Roman procurators of Judea. Visit the Roman port, Crusader's Moat, Roman theater and aqueduct. Continue to Muhraka on Mount Carmel where Elijah challenged Baal’s priests.
This afternoon, after a Middle Eastern lunch at a Druse restaurant(optional), we proceed to Megiddo to visit the excavations that unearthed 20 different civilizations. This is Michener’s “The Source”. Continue down the road to Nazareth, boyhood home of Jesus where we will go to the look out and view the entire valley. Then, it’s on to Tiberias on the Sea of Galilee for dinner and overnight at our hotel. On the way, if there is time we will stop at Harod, the spring of Gideon.
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Thursday
Dan, Caesarea Philippi, Magdala"The Head of all those Kingdoms" (Joshua 11:10) The Sources of the Jordan.
This morning our drive takes us to the northern limits of Jesus' travel as we cross the River Hatzbani to Dan. Here we combine a nature walk beside the Upper Jordan with views of the ancient ruins, topped by the Israelite high place that supported a golden calf (I Kings 12). Then a short drive to Banias (Caesarea Philippi), dedicated to Pan the Greek god of pastures, flocks and shepherds; here Peter made his great profession of faith, recognition of Christ Jesus (Matthew 16). Driving along the foot of Mount Hermon, we ascend onto the Golan Plateau for a magnificent view of upper Israel. On our return we will stop at Chorazin and then on to Magdala, one of the oldest synagogues dating back to the first century AD. Home of Mary Magdalena and was the fishing center where Peter would have brought his catch to be sold or processed. Return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.
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Friday
Sea of Galilee, Bet Shean, JerusalemThis morning we take a relaxing boat ride on the Sea of Galilee where we will be able to look to the shore where so many miracles occurred. We continue to Capernaum and see first century ruins, then visit Tabgha and the Mount of Beatitudes. Our last stop this morning will be at the River Jordan for those who would like the opportunity to be baptized.
This afternoon we travel via the Crusader fortress of Belvoir along the Rift Valley to Bet Shean, where King Saul and his sons were pinned to the walls. It became the Decapolis Capital and was traveled by Jesus and known as Scythopolis. See the ancient theater, Circus Maximus and Cardo Maximo. We head down the Jordan River Road and head to the Judean wilderness on our way to the Golden City of Jerusalem. We will stop for a panoramic view of the City of David. Check into our hotel for dinner and overnight.
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Saturday
Masada, Qumran, Dead Sea, JerichoToday we drive to Masada and ascend by cable car to the magnificent ruins of the fortress where, from 70 to 73 AD, Jewish defenders made their last stand in the Judean revolt against Rome. We see the remains of storehouses, cisterns and a sixth-century Byzantine church. Continuing alongside the Dead Sea, 1,300 ft. below sea level -- the lowest spot on earth -- we proceed to Ein Gedi where time permitting we will walk the path to see the waterfall in the desert.
This afternoon we continue to Qumran and the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. We will have a stop for lunch and time for those that want to swim in the Dead Sea. We travel to Jericho, the world’s oldest city. From the excavated tel atop the ruins of ancient Jericho we view the lush green Jordan Valley, Elisha’s spring and Qarantal, the Mount of Temptation. We will head up to Jerusalem and return to the hotel for dinner.
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Sunday
Mt. of Olives, Garden of Gethsemane, Shepherd's Fields, Bethlehem"If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace." (Luke 19:42) Our drive this morning takes us past the Chapel of Ascension and Paternoster to the Mt. of Olives for an orientation view of Jerusalem and the opportunity of a group photograph overlooking Jerusalem. We then walk the traditional Passion walk. We descend to the church known as Dominus Flevit ("Our Lord weeps"). After viewing the Golden Gate, we walk downhill to Gethsemane, where we take time to meditate on the Gospel text and view the Church of All Nations. Enter the Old City and make our way to the Western Wall, Judaism’s holiest site, before we proceed to the Jerusalem Archeological Park where we see the Steps that entered the temple and the Southern Wall. It was here that Jesus would have taught the disciples. See a video that shows the temple as it was at Herod's (or Jesus') time.
"I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord". (Luke 2:10-11). This afternoon we drive south to one of the possible sites for Shepherds' Fields. We continue into Bethlehem itself, walking through the restored old town to the Church of the Nativity and visiting the manger and see the cave of St. Jerome. We drive back to Jerusalem for dinner and overnight.
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Monday
Rabbi Tunnel, Temple Institute, Yad Vashem, Shrine of the BookThis morning we will board our bus for our exciting tour to the famous Rabbi Tunnel. Here we will enter by the Western Wall Plaza and go down to the foundation of the Second Temple. We will see a model that will demonstrate where we are in location to the Temple in the time of Christ. Continue along the tunnel as we proceed to the Gateway of the Priests entry to the Holy of Holies. We will continue to the Temple Institute where we will see the making of the instruments for the new temple. We will see how they are following the Bible for exact instructions. We will see a film explaining where the Rabbi believes the Temple and courts could be located.
This afternoon we will head to Yad Vashem and see the Museum of the Holocaust. Continue to Shrine of the Book and the model city of Jerusalem at the time of the Second Temple. Return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.
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Tuesday
Old City, Via Dolorosa, Garden Tomb“He has risen!” (Mark 16:6) After breakfast we transfer to the Dung Gate, where we ascend to the Dome of the Rock and the al-Aqsa Mosque, considered the third holiest site of Islam, located on the site of the ancient Temple Mount. Here the first and second Temples once stood. Just to the north we find the Pools of Bethesda (John 5) and St. Anne’s Church. The church is perfectly preserved from the Crusader period – with remarkable acoustics. Continuing on we see Pilate’s Judgment Hall, the Chapel of Flagellation, Lithostrotos, and the Arch of Ecce Homo (Behold the Man). We then follow the Way of the Cross (Via Dolorosa) through the bazaars as far as the Holy Sepulcher. From there we walk from the Christian Quarter along the Arab Souks through the Cardo Maximo and past the Armenian Quarter. Continuing on to Mount Zion we visit the Upper Room and the Tomb of King David, and then to the grounds of a church called Peter in Gallicantu, which affords the best view of early Jerusalem from the west. (Here, the Assumptions Fathers suggest, was the house where the High Priest Caiaphas interrogated Jesus). We board our bus to the Garden Tomb where we will end our day with a special visit and the possibility of having a private communion on the grounds outside the city walls. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.
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