A Very Golan Birthday

 Today I got to spend my birthday with a very fun group of people.  Comfortable shoes was all it took to sing another round of Happy Birthday.  Thank you all for a memorable day.

The Golan Heights was our home for most of the day.  We travel up out of the Jordan River valley as we traveled north to our first stop, the Naot Mordecai kibbutz just south of Kiryat Shmona.  There they produce shoes and we practiced the 11th commandment of supporting the Israeli economy.  They are comfortable shoes.  

We then traveled to Tel Dan nature reserve.  After a vigorous hike along the headwaters of the Jordan River and the forests of the reserve, we came to the worship center created by Jeroboam after Israel split into two kingdoms around 930 BC.  This was to keep people from returning to Jerusalem to worship and offer sacrifices.  The two centers he created, one here and one in Bethel, contained golden calves.  

 At the back of the tel we peered into Lebanon and heard about the various conflicts.  Finally we looked at two gates.  The first was from the time of Abraham (2000 BC) and then the one from the time of Jeroboam.  We also could see Nimrod’s Fortress in the distance.  In other words, we were looking at 3500 years of history at one time.  Amazing.

From Tel Dan it was on to Caesarea Philippi, also known as Banias.  It was in the region of this false religion worship center that Jesus posed the question, “Who do people say that I am?”  “Who do you say that I am?”  This question was asked just south of the spot Jewish tradition holds God made the covenant with Abraham.  It was on the foundation of the covenant promises and Peter’s confession  Jesus would build His church.

Following a good lunch, we headed to the Valley of Tears, a memorial to the brave tank commanders who fought to keep the Syrians at bay in the Yom Kippur war.  It was sobering to hear Nir tell the story.

A stop at Chorizin (one of the cursed cities) and Kursi (where Jesus cast demons into a herd of pigs) and our day was complete.  It was another wondrous day.  Pics below.


Our first view of the “mighty” Jordan River

Snow on Mt. Hermon, Golan Heights

Water for the Jordan River, Tel Dan

Nir speaking to the group, Banias (Caesarea Philippi)

Altar outside the Jeroboam Gate, Tel Dan

Wheat press, Korazim

Listing to Nir, Tel Dan Nature Preserve

Valley of Tears memorial, Golan Heights

Gate of Abraham, Tel Dan

Jeroboam worship area, Tel Dan

Jeroboam worship Mount, Tel Dan

Lunch at Druze restaurant, Golan Heights

Spring, Tel Dan

Map of Dan Nature Preserve

Flowers in Dan Nature Preserve

Scripture sign outside Jeroboam gate, Dan

Nir speaking to group, Dan Nature Preserve

View of the Valley of Tears, Syria in the background


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