The land of Israel represents the past, the present; and the future.
Let me start with pointing out something that is unique to Israel. What other nation can you name where the people have been dispersed and then regathered; where the land has been destroyed and then replenished; where the cities have been set to ruins and then been rebuilt and most renamed to their original names?
One question that never fails to come up is: aren't you afraid of getting shot or hurt in Israel? Testimonies from the people who have made the trip are always the same: "I have never been anywhere, where I felt so secure and safe". As the host, I will be making my fourth trip to Israel this coming spring.
We will leave Little Rock on Feb. 17 and return on the 26th. Besides questions about safety, people want to know about the weather, the length of the flight, and the food. The weather is a lot like Arkansas in February. We suggest wearing layered clothing; mornings start out a little cool, but by 10 a.m. it is usually pretty nice. The flight is 10 hours on the way over and about 12 hours on the way back. Our morning and evening meals are buffets at the motels, they serve lots of cheeses, fruits, vegetables, meats and breads.
Our flight takes us from Little Rock to New Jersey and than on to Tel Aviv. Tel Aviv is the major culture and economic center of Israel; it is the administrative center for the banks, political parties, news organization, and foreign embassies. Tel Aviv and Jaffa sit next to each other. Jaffa is the old city of Joppa, one of the oldest cities in the Holy Land. The city of Joppa is referenced many times in the bible, but three things that stand out are: (1) II Chronicles 2:2-16 tells how Hiram of Tyre used the port of Joppa to send cedar trees to King Solomon in Jerusalem for the building of the temple. (2) Jonah 1:3 states that Joppa was the port where Jonah started his adventure that ended in the belly of a whale, (3) Acts 10:9-16 where Peter received the vision and began the journey that took him to Cornelius's house in Caesarea.
After leaving Tel Aviv we take the Via Maris Highway 32 miles north, through the Plain of Sharon, arriving at Caesarea, which was built by Herod the Great between 25 & 13 B.C. and destroyed in 1265 A.D. The city got its name from the emperor at that time, Caesarea Augustus. After the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D., Caesarea became the center of Christianity, maintaining a large Christian library and it was also the place where early Christian historians Eusebius and Origen completed some of their writings.
In Acts 23:23 it tells how Paul was brought from Jerusalem to Caesarea where he was held in Governor Felix's palace for trial and after the trial was held for two more years before being taken to Rome.
Leaving Caesarea, we drive north through the Jezreel Valley and on to Tiberius for the night. Our next day will take us through the northern part of Galilee to visit Caesarea Phillip and Dan, we then drive past Mount Hermon, the largest mountain in Israel (9200 feet), than up through the northern part of the Golan Heights where we can see the borders of Lebanon and Syria. Here, the importance of the Golan Heights to Israel for protection becomes obvious.
The Golan Heights provide a view of Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, and Iran, plus protection for the Hula Valley in Israel. Driving south we arrive at Pete's Fish house, on the Sea of Galilee, where you can enjoy their famous Tilapia fish lunch I prefer pizza. After dinner we enjoy a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. It is about 600 feet below sea level and surrounded by mountains, which can cause some rough waters.
We visit Capernaum, Jesus' hometown, located on the north side of the Sea of Galilee and than up to the Mt. of Beatitudes, where Jesus shared the Beatitudes and also from here you can see the area where Jesus spent the majority of His ministry.
I want to encourage each of you reading this article to think seriously about making this trip to Israel, it is the spiritual experience of a lifetime. Every person that as been on our previous trips have all commented how the bible has come alive to them. The late Zola Levitt, Founder and President of Zola Levitt Ministries said "A trip to Israel is worth 10 years of Sunday School".
If you would like more information about making a trip to Israel, call for a free brochure; contact me at 479-886-0027 or e-mail me at hkomprood@centurytel.net. The dates of the next trip are Feb. 17 to 26. I am available to talk to civic groups (30-minute presentation) and churches (30/45 minute presentation) about Israel. I share history, prophecy and pictures with scripture, I take no offering, it is my ministry, I know that not everyone can make a trip to Israel but would enjoy hearing about the Promised Land, here is your opportunity.
