Forgive
the self-aggrandizement, but a dear friend produced this video
remembering a time we shared in Israel, and I thought it might be an
encouragement to you if you are considering joining us for a trip.
* A quick
note: Francis remembers the incident well, but on further reflection I
would argue that the cave in question was where Jesus left the eight
disciples when He went with the other three into the garden itself to
pray.
On occasion, I have the opportunity to lead tours to Israel. Some have expressed an interest in joining one of these tours, and thus I thought it good to post the information concerning those tours here on the website.
A few words about these tours generally.
First, the opportunity to lead these tours is a manifestation of God’s gracious and kind providences in my life. I cherish the opportunity to teach God’s Word, to help people understand that body of recorded Truth and see how it ought to make a difference in their lives. Teaching in Israel provides a very special opportunity to do that.
Second, it’s important to understand that divine revelation has always been two-staged: first event revelation (the “mighty acts” of God in which He breaks into the course of human history) and then word revelation (as He raises up spokesmen – prophets in the OT and apostles in the NT – to record and explain that revelation through historical events). Thus both testaments begin with extended historical narratives. Those “mighty acts” (Ps 145:4, 12) constitute a divinely orchestrated drama which was played out primarily in the little land of Israel. The student of Scripture is much advantaged if he understands aright the stage on which that drama unfolded. Thus these trips are designed to be genuine study trips. The focus is upon routes and regions, an understanding of how the biblical accounts are rightly understood in the context of that land – its situation on the international map, its geography and topography, its climate and agricultural cycles, its political history and ever-changing jurisdiction, and on and on
Finally, because of that very deliberate focus these trips tend to be a bit longer and demand more of the traveler than many trips. However, if you are able to walk at a reasonably quick pace – sometimes up and down hills, on rough terrain, and in the heat of the day – these trips would be entirely accessible to you.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me. On the other hand, in order to register for any of the trips, please contact the person(s) identified on the Fact Sheet provided for each of the trips listed.
