What's New with the KRAUSE FAMILY: 2016

Wednesday, October 5, 2016

IsraeL 2016

Stop signs, ice cream and McDonalds are the same but not being close to war and having reminders of enemies all around. The closest we have ever been to war. We were in the Golan Heights on September 11 and our itinerary needed to be changed to avoid the civil war in Syria.

http://www.thetower.org/3911-days-after-israel-retaliates-against-syria-attack-another-rocket-strikes-golan/

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/14/world/middleeast/israel-syria-warplane-drone-golan-heights.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FGolan%20Heights&action=click&contentCollection=world&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=collection&_r=0

What is the oldest thing you have ever seen? This is the Canaanite gate of an ancient city named Laish under a protected canopy. It was constructed of sun dried mud bricks and is 4,000 years old. If you look closely, you see 3 arches. In Joshua 19:47 we learn that the Israelites conquered and possessed the city. Now called Dan after the name of Dan their father.

Excavations reveal 15 cities on top of each other all the way back to Egyptian occupation. This is the place where the story of dead King Saul and his sons were hung on the walls. An earthquake destroyed the city in the 8th century. Picture to the right are the bathrooms. Do you want to try it?

We are not sure which part of river Jordan that Jesus and Israelites stepped in. It's easy to imagine the scene of the stories that take place in this river.

This is the place of the discovery of the dead sea scrolls. Archeology, history and the accuracy of scriptures merge here.

This is the place we took each step and read the Psalms of the Ascent.

ask me the story of what happened in my heart right here.

This could be the place where Christ was buried but when I went inside, I realized it didn't matter much which was the real tomb because our Lord wouldn't be in any of them

Walls, doorways, churches, all old, old, old.

Taking part in an archaeological dig from the dirt removed from the Temple Mount. We discovered pottery, glass, nails, and a coin from the roman period.

For Tim, contemplating Petra and the history was a special moment. He realized that this would have been the road for the frankincense, myrrh and gold gifted to Jesus traveled on.

Masada

Herod the Great built palaces on the mountain and fortified Masada around 30 BCE.

The site was conquered by a group of Jewish zealots. in the year 72 the Romans constructed a huge earthern ramp and those living at the top of massada chose to commit suicide rather than to fall into the hands of the Romans alive.

Yes, we rode a camel but more importantly had the vision of life in Bible times. How do you survive in the dessert? how do you find water? In the tent we experienced what Abram's hospitality would have been like.