Israel with Dr. George Gunn & Pastor Jon Cook - February 2025

Today we will meet at Redding International airport for our connecting flights to Istanbul via wide-body aircraft arriving the next day. Meals served on board.

Upon arrival in Tel Aviv we are met by our guide who will be with us for the time we are in the Holy Land. Continue through Tel Aviv, the largest city in Israel. We proceed through Samaria passing the New modern city, Modi'in. Continue our descent to the Dead Sea. Check into our hotel for dinner and overnight.

This morning will be a highlight as we will become a Bedouin in the Judean desert. We will go to a camel farm and have a camel trek into the Judean wilderness. You will touch the land like no other journey can.

This afternoon we will go back to our hotel to use the hotel's resources. For thousands of years people have come to this area for the healing power of the Dead Sea. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.

We then 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, 1300 ft. below sea level -- the lowest spot on earth -- we stop at Ein Gedi. Here we will have time to walk to the water falls that David would have used while he was fleeing from Saul.

This afternoon we proceed to Qumran and the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. We travel to Jericho, the world's oldest city. Continue to our hotel in Tiberias for dinner and overnight.

This morning we enjoy a relaxing boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, landing at Nof Ginosar where we will see the New Testament Boat found below the sea. Continue our morning tour with a visit to Capernaum, Tabgha and the Mount of Beatitudes.

In the afternoon we follow the Rift Valley the Rift Valley running parallel to the Jordan, along the route Jesus most frequently traveled to Jerusalem. We visit Bet Shean at the foot of Mt. Gilboa, where King Saul was slain, see the evidences of Egyptian, Roman, and Byzantine occupations, and view the ancient tel, Roman Theater and church mosaics. Our last stop today will be at the Jordan River where we may have the opportunity to be baptized (provided a pastor is traveling on the tour), then return to the hotel in Tiberias for dinner and overnight.

"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.

“We are going up to Jerusalem.” (Matt. 20:18). We drive west to Nazareth. Traveling through Cana of Galilee where Jesus performed his first Miracle, turning water into wine (John 2). We proceed to Nazareth and ascend the Mount of the Precipice at the brow of Nazareth overlooking the Valley of Jezreel, synonymous with Armageddon.We then drive through the valley to the mound of Megiddo, Har Megiddo in Hebrew, which gave its name to Armageddon. We then ascend Mt. Carmel, site of Elijah’s confrontation with the prophets of Baal.

From there we drive towards the Mediterranean coast traveling south along the coastal highway to Caesarea by the Sea. We enter Caesarea Maritima to explore this Roman bridgehead to the east, which became the Christian springboard to the west. After the visit to this ancient harbor, we board our bus and we head up the historic Beth Horon road (Joshua 10:10) to the Benjamin Plateau, passing ancient Gibeon and continuing on to Jerusalem. Finally, atop Mt. Scopus, we behold majestic Jerusalem. Check in to our hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

This morning we leave Jerusalem for Beersheba, ancient city of Judah, the southernmost area of our tour. Beersheba, a watering hole and trading post for thousands of years, is the center of desert traffic, being located on the edge of the vast Negev Desert. Here we catch a glimpse of Bedouin life.

This afternoon we visit the ancient cities of Ashkelon and Ashdod. Ashkelon was an important caravan stop in ancient days; there Delilah snipped Samson's hair. Today it is a popular resort area for modern Israel. Continue to Ashdod, a smaller and newer city and home of the Israeli Navy nautical school. Leaving Ashdod we pass through the Region of Adullom, where David took refuge from Saul, and on to the Valley of Elah, the site of David's conquest of the giant Goliath. On our return to Jerusalem we stop at Emmaus, where Jesus appeared to two disciples and walked with them. Continue to our hotel in Jerusalem for dinner and overnight.

This 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.

"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 have a private visit of the Garden with time to meditate on the Gospel text before visiting 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.

This morning we will head to the Herodian Quarter, the residential quarter, preserved from Herodian times. See how they lived in Jesus time. The findings indicate that wealthy families lived here. Plaques around the museum provide detailed explanations and there is a model of one mansion. We will swing by and see the Upper Room.

This afternoon we will board our bus, riding back in time for our exciting walking tour to The City of David, Hezekiah's tunnel and Pool of Siloam. See where King David, who had established the messianic throne, once had a palace looking out over the biblical stage to see the area where the beautiful Bathsheba had bathed by moon light. Descend by way of the mighty fortress encompassing the famous Warren's Shaft and stop at the Gihon spring that witnessed King Solomon's coronation, the only naturally flowing water source in Jerusalem, a gushing, karstic spring. Bring a flashlight to walk through the thigh high water gently flowing through Hezekiah's tunnel or walk an earlier dry ancient aqueduct and view the walls and tombs of the House of David, both leading to the Pool of Siloam where Jesus miraculously cured the blind man in John 9. Return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

“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.

The entire day is free to explore this famous city, take any private sightseeing excursions desired, shop or just relax. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.

We transfer to the Ben Gurion Airport for our flight home with unforgettable memories to cherish always. Knowing we have walked in the footsteps of Jesus and the early Christians on such a memorable tour will bring new meaning to our Bible reading.

This morning we will go to the famous Allenby Bridge. We will cross over to Jordan. Meet our guide and head north to the traditional site where John the Baptist baptized Jesus. Continue to Mt. Nebo, from where God showed Moses the Promised Land. Drive to Madaba to St George’s Church with its 6th century mosaic floor showing a map of the Holy Land as Christian pilgrims knew it in that period.

This afternoon we continue to the Amman. Upon arrival we are taken to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

This morning we will drive to Petra. Today we will spend time in one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Start the tour of Petra; you are in the heart of the rose red Seir mountains as mentioned in the Biblical Book of Genesis. This mountain range houses the Aaron Peak, which is the highest locality in Petra and the burial place of Aaron brother of Moses. A walk down through the narrow ‘Siq’ passage, being the main entrance to Petra, along 1250 meters brings you to the first monument Treasure "the same as the one seen in the Indiana Jones' movie". A walk further down through the outer ‘Siq’ encompassed by tombs and burial chambers brings you to one of the largest theaters in Jordan. This theater is carved into the sand stone mountains of Petra at the bottom of the High place of Sacrifice Mountain. Apparently some sacrificial rituals used to take place here. Now, it is time to walk up hill to the Royal Tombs. You will have a great view of the lower part of Petra with all its Roman remains. These tombs are: The Urn- Corinthian- Silk- and Palace tombs. We will board our motor coach and have a panoramic ride of the outer environs of Petra before heading back to Amman for dinner and overnight

This morning we transfer to the airport where we board our flight home with unforgettable memories to cherish always. Knowing we have walked in the footsteps of Jesus and the early Christians on such a memorable tour will bring new meaning to our Bible reading.