THE NEW ANOINTING CHURCH
+447505949817
magdallen@yahoo.co.uk
ISRAEL TOUR APRIL 2015
29th April 2015
Arrival at Ben Gurion airport, Tel Aviv to be met by Pastor Magdalene proceed to the hotel
for a rest, later on walk along the Mediterranean sea for some fresh air and relaxation before
visiting the biblical places as listed below. Spend one night in Tel Aviv. Have breakfast and
then proceed to Jerusalem.
Tel Aviv
Also known as Japho, Joppe, el-Qal'a, Tel Aviv, 'Yafa, Yafa el-'Atiqa, Yafo
Joppa/Jaffa
The biblical town of Joppa is today known as Jaffa. This was the main port of the coast
before the Israelis constructed the ports of Haifa and Ashdod. The modern city of Tel Aviv
was founded on the outskirts of Jaffa in 1909 and today it encompasses the ancient city. Tel
Aviv means “the Hill of Spring” and it is the same name as the city of a settlement in
Babylon during the Exile (Ezek 3:15). Today the Tel Aviv area is the largest metropolitan
area in Israel.
The Harbor
Jaffa is one of the oldest functioning harbors in the world. Today it harbors only small
fishing boats. This was the port to which Jonah came when fleeing from the Lord to Tarshish
(Jonah 1:3). For the construction of Solomon's Temple, cedars were floated from Phoenicia
to Joppa and then transported to Jerusalem (2 Chr 2:16). Jaffa was the main port of entry
during the Turkish period and pilgrims and visitors would enter the Holy Land here.
St. Peter's Church
Peter came to Joppa from Lydda to raise Tabitha (Dorcas) from the dead (Acts 9:36-42).
While in Joppa, the apostle stayed at the house of Simon the Tanner. When Peter was
praying on the roof, he had a vision of a large sheet filled with animals being lowered from
heaven (Acts 9:43-10:23), signaling to him to go with the messengers from Cornelius. The
Church of St. Peter marks the traditional site of Peter’s vision of the great sheet.
Jaffa is one of the oldest functioning harbors in the world. Today it harbors only small
fishing boats. This was the port to which Jonah came when fleeing from the Lord to Tarshish
(Jonah 1:3). For the construction of Solomon's Temple, cedars were floated from Phoenicia
to Joppa and then transported to Jerusalem (2 Chr 2:16). Jaffa was the main port of entry
during the Turkish period and pilgrims and visitors would enter the Holy Land here.
30th March 2015
Haifa and Nazareth tour before proceeding to Jerusalem Gate Hotel.
Mt carmel (El-|Muhraqa)
1Kings 18:40
And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they
took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.
Nazareth
Basilica of Annunciation
The Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth is a modern Catholic church built over the
remains of Byzantine and Crusader churches. It incorporates the cave in which the Virgin
Mary received the news from Gabriel that she would give birth to Jesus. The site has been a
pilgrimage destination since earliest times and remains an important stop for Holy Land
pilgrims today.
Birth of Jesus Foretold luke 1:26-28
Day 3 (31March 2015)
Start the tour in Jerusalem
Mount of Olives
The view from the Mount of Olives is wondrous: the densely packed walled city
of Jerusalem embraced by the Hinnom and Kidron valleys, the Golden Gate to Mount
Moriah, the Temple Mount, Mount Zion, City of David and more, bring alive both prophecy
and Psalms. It is from the Mount of Olives, with its view not only toward the Holy City and
its green surroundings, but toward the wilderness, that one understands how Jerusalem got
one of its earliest names, Zion (2 Sam. 5:7), which comes from a word meaning desert.
On the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives is Bethany, where a beautiful church marks the
home of Lazarus, Mary and Martha (John 1:11), and where visitors can descend and emerge
dramatically from the traditional tomb of Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead (John
11:43).
The Palm Sunday Walk, which begins at Bethphage, follows the traditional path Jesus took
in his triumphal entry to the Holy City (John 12:13-15). It stops in the quiet garden chapel of
Dominus Flevit, marking the site where Jesus wept over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41), and then
passes the ancient Jewish cemetery, where the deceased await the resurrection when the
Messiah comes to the Mount of Olives (Zach. 14:4). This is an important place to pause and
consider that the Mount of Olives is not only a geographical link between the desert and the
fertile Jerusalem hills, it is the spiritual link between death and life, also emphasized by the
resurrection of Lazarus in Bethany.
In the early days of Christianity, monks came to the Mount of Olives in large numbers,
seeking the solitude of its heights where they could deepen their understanding of these and
other Scriptural truths.
The Palm Sunday walk culminates in the Garden of Gethsemane, one of the most dramatic
sites on a Christian itinerary. This and Olivet’s other sites – the Pater Noster (“Our Father”)
Church, named for the prayer Jesus taught (Matt. 6:9-13), the Dome of the Ascension, the
Tower of the Ascension and Viri Galilaei (Acts 1:11) – stir powerful emotions that make this
visit an unforgettable spiritual highlight.
Gethsemane
Descend to Kidron Valley to visit the Garden of Gethsemane and the Church of all Nations
The Chapel of the Ascension
The Chapel of the Ascension in Jerusalem is a Christian holy site that is believed to mark
the place where Jesus ascended into heaven. The small round church/mosque contains a
stone imprinted with the very footprints of Jesus.
When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed
them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they
worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.
- Luke 24:50-51
He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were
looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white
stood beside them. "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky?
This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way
you have seen him go into heaven."Acts 1:9-11
Church of the Pater Noster, Jerusalem
Named for the "Our Father" prayer (Latin: Pater Noster), the Church of the Pater
Noster stands on the traditional site in Jerusalem where Jesus taught his disciples the Lord's
Prayer. Emperor Constantine built a church over a cave here in 4th century, and this has been
partially reconstructed. Plaques in the cloister bear the Lord's Prayer in 62 different
languages.
One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to
him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples." He said to them, "When you
pray, say: 'Our Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our
daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead
us not into temptation.'" - Luke 11:1-4
Bethany
Bethany (Arabic: al-Azariyya) is a Muslim and Christian Arab village (pop. 3,600) on the
southeast slopes of the Mount of Olives, Jerusalem. Bethany was the home of the Lazarus,
Mary and Martha and the setting for a number of New Testament events. The Tomb of
Lazarus in Bethany has long been venerated by Christians and Muslims alike, and a modern
church dedicated to the resurrected saint stands on the site of much older ones. Bethany was
the home of Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead (John 11:38-44), and his sisters Mary
and Martha. Jesus often stayed in their home.
Jesus was anointed at the home of Simon the Leper in Bethany (Mark 14:3) and returned to
Bethany after his triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Mark 11:11). According to Luke 24:50,
Jesus ascended into heaven near Bethany
Golden gate
The Christian tradition marks The Golden Gate as the gate through which Christ entered
Jerusalem, and that is why the gate is also names the 'Golden Gate'. That tradition also tells
that this gate is where the byzantine emperor Heracles entered Jerusalem after freeing it from
the Persians during the 7th century (a short while before the city was taken by Muslims).
The Jewish tradition tells that The Golden Gate is the gate through which the Messiah will
enter Jerusalem, bringing the Jewish nation to redemption. The emperor Suleiman, who
heard this tradition, decided to prevent the arrival of the Messiah by blocking the gate with
bricks, and by building a Muslim cemetery in front of the gate (the Messiahs is a Cohen, so
he can not enter a cemetery...)
Jaffa gate
Jaffa Gate — The main entrance to the Old City is the Jaffa Gate, which was built by
Suleiman in 1538. The name in Arabic, Bab el-Halil or Hebron Gate, means "The Beloved,"
and refers to Abraham, the beloved of God who is buried in Hebron. The gate on the western
side of the Old City marked the end of the highway leading from the Jaffa coast and now
leads into the Muslim and Armenian quarters. A road allows cars to enter the Old City
through a wide gap in the wall between Jaffa Gate and the Citadel. This passage was
originally built in 1898 when Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany visited Jerusalem. The ruling
Ottoman Turks opened it so the German Emperor would not have to dismount his carriage to
enter the city.
Zion Gate
Providing access to Mt. Zion, this gate bears the marks of the Arab and Israeli battles in the
1948 War of Independence. This gate is also known as the Gate of the Prophet David
because of the traditional location of David's tomb on Mt. Zion. During the medieval period
it was called the Gate of the Jewish Quarter.
Pool of Bethesda
John 5:2: "Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the
Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches".
Among the most famous of Jesus’ miracles is recounted in the Gospel of John, where Jesus
heals the paralytic at the Bethesda Pool (John 5:2-9). It is not the only one of Jesus’ miracles
of healing to take place at a pool in Jerusalem, however.
Via Dolorosa
Via Dolorosa ("Way of Grief" in Latin) is a road in the old city of Jerusalem, a path where
Jesus was lead in agony, carrying the crucifixion cross. There are a total of 14 stations along
this path. Via Dolorosa is located within the old city of Jerusalem. It starts from the place
where he was tried and convicted - near the Lions' gate on the eastern side (Muslim quarter).
It ends in the crucifixion place, Golgotha, where the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is located
in the west side of the old city (Christian quarter).
Pool of Siloam
The Siloam Pool has long been considered a sacred Christian site, even if the
correct identification of the site itself was uncertain. According to the Gospel of
John, it was at the Siloam Pool where Jesus healed the blind man (John 9:1–11).
The Wailing Wall
l
The Western Wall is the most holy place accessible to the Jewish people because of Muslim
control of the Temple Mount. Known in recent centuries as the "Wailing Wall," this was
built by Herod the Great as the retaining wall of the Temple Mount complex. The plaza was
created as an area for prayer when Israel captured the Old City in 1967. At times tens of
thousands of people gather here for prayer.
Day 4 (01/04/2015)
Bethlehem
The "little town" of Bethlehem, mentioned in any number of Christmas carols, attracts
pilgrims worldwide on account of its description in the New Testament (and particularly the
Gospels) as the birthplace of Jesus, whom Christians believe to be Messiah and Son of
God. The Church of the Nativity, one of the oldest churches in the world, is the focus of
Christian veneration within the city.
Bethlehem is revered by Jews as the birthplace and home town of David, King of Israel, as
well as the traditional site of Rachel's Tomb (on the outskirts of the town).
Although also home to many Muslims, Bethlehem remains home to one of the largest Arab
Christian communities in the Middle East (despite significant emigration in recent years,
resulting in a growing Muslim majority) and one of the chief cultural and tourism drawcards
for the Palestinian community. The Bethlehem agglomeration also includes the small towns
of Beit Jala and Beit Sahour, the latter also having biblical significance.
Building up to the Millenium in the year 2000, Bethlehem underwent a massive largely
foreign-funded project called Bethlehem 2000 in hopes of turning Bethlehem into a major
tourist destination comparable to destinations such as Jerusalem or Tel Aviv in tourism
infrastructure. Unfortunately a year later, the Palestinian uprising against the Israeli
occupation occured and the ensuing violence scuttled these tourism efforts. With the
Palestinian uprising and violent clashes between both sides now have been over and done
with for quite a few years, violence is now a thing of the past and many in Bethlehem hope
to continue on where Bethlehem 2000 started them off.
In the Old Testament, Bethlehem was known as Ephrata. Church of Nativity
Church of Nativity
Shepherds' Field, Bethlehem
Approximately 2 km to the east of Bethlehem lies the village of Beit Sahour, where one of
the most sacred places to Christians; the Shepherds' Field; is found, identified as the scene
where the Angel of the Lord visited the shepherds and informed them of Jesus' birth (pbuh);
"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their
flock by night. And the Angel said to them, Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of
great joy, which shall be to all people" (Luke 2:8-10).
The Church on the "Milk Grotto"
A short distance south of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem is a shrine called the Milk
Grotto, on a street of the same name. According to tradition, while Mary and Joseph were
fleeing Herod’s soldiers on their way to Egypt, they stopped in this cave while Mary nursed
the baby Jesus. A drop of Mary’s milk fell upon the stone and it turned white.
Hebron Depending on security
The Cave of Machpelah is the world's most ancient Jewish site and the second holiest place for the Jewish people,
after Temple Mount in Jerusalem. The cave and the adjoining field were purchased—at full market price—by
Abraham some 3700 years ago. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Rebecca, and Leah are all later buried in the same
Cave of Machpelah. These are considered the patriarchs and matriarchs of the Jewish people. The only one who is
missing is Rachel, who was buried near Bethlehem where she died in childbirth
Day 5 (02/04/ 2015)
Tour of the old city,The city of DavidThe upper room
Mark 14:12-15: (Acts 1:13, 2:1)
The Last Supper Room is a second-story room in Jerusalem that commemorates the "upper
room" in which Jesus shared the Last Supper with the disciples. It is located directly above
the Tomb of David and near theDormition Abbey on Mount Zion. The Mount Zion church
was reconstructed in the 4th century after persecutions ended, at which point it was known as
"the Upper Church of the Apostles." This designation referred, however, not to the Last
Supper but to the apostles' receiving of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, which also occurred in
an "upper room" (Acts 1:13, 2:1). A tradition located the upper room of Pentecost on Mount
Zion by 348, when it was mentioned by Cyril of Jerusalem.
Garden tomb John19:41 followed by Holy Communion and service
Day 6 (03/04/2015)
Mt of temptation (jericho)
As recorded in the Gospels of Matthew (4:1-11) and Luke (4:1-13) — and fleetingly in Mark
(1:12-13) — the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the desert. While he fasted, the devil tempted him
three times to prove his divinity by demonstrating his supernatural powers.
The Mount of Temptation, with a gravity-defying monastery clinging to its sheer face, is
traditionally regarded as the mountain on which Christ was tempted by the devil during his
40-day fast.
The Mount of Temptation is about 5km north-west of the West Bank city of Jericho. Access
to the summit is by a 30-minute trek up a steep path — passing through the cliffhanging
monastery on the way — or by a 5-minute cable car ride from Tel Jericho.
Sycamore tree
Since Jericho was on the normal route from Galilee to Jerusalem, Jesus passed through it
several times.
Near the centre of the city, a centuries-old sycamore tree recalls the incident in which the tax
collector Zacchaeus, too short to see over the crowd, climbed a sycamore’s branches in order
to see Jesus. (The African sycamore fig should not be confused with the sycamore of Europe
and North America, which is a different species.) Luke 19:1-10
Dead Sea
Natures living miracle, a place to rejuvenate and restore with body
and soul
The leading attraction at the Dead Sea is the warm, soothing, super salty water itself – some
ten times saltier than sea water, and rich in chloride salts of magnesium, sodium, potassium,
bromine and several others. The unusually warm, incredibly buoyant and mineral-rich waters
have attracted visitors since ancient times, including King Herod the Great and the beautiful
Egyptian Queen, Cleopatra. All of whom have luxuriated in the Dead Sea’s rich, black,
stimulating mud and floated effortlessly on their backs while soaking up the water's healthy
minerals along with the gently diffused rays of the Jordanian sun.
Without a doubt the world’s most amazing place, the Jordan Rift Valley is a dramatic,
beautiful landscape, which at the Dead Sea, is over 400m (1,312 ft.) below sea level. The
lowest point on the face of the earth, this vast stretch of water receives a number of incoming
rivers, including the River Jordan. Once the waters reach the Dead Sea they are land-locked
and have nowhere to go, so they evaporate, leaving behind a dense, rich, cocktail of salts and
minerals that supply industry, agriculture and medicine with some of its finest products.
The Dead Sea is flanked by mountains to the east and the rolling hills of Jerusalem to the
west, giving it an almost other-worldly beauty. Although sparsely populated and serenely
quiet now, the area is believed to have been home to five Biblical cities: Sodom, Gomorrah,
Adman, Zebouin and Zoar (Bela).
Masada
It is a symbol of the ancient kingdom of Israel
Masada is an ancient fortification in the Southern District of Israel situated on top of an
isolated rock plateau on the eastern edge of the Judaean Desert, overlooking the Dead Sea
At the edge of the Judean Desert, on a rocky plateau overlooking the Dead Sea, lies the
excavated ruin of a royal citadel. It was the last stronghold held by the Jewish Zealots who
refused to submit to Roman occupation. When they could hold out no longer, Masada
became the backdrop for one of the most dramatic scenes in Jewish history.
Masada was initially built by King Herod the Great (37-4 BCE). He built a great deal in
Israel, and a lot of his buildings still stand strong, although of his most famous one, the
Temple in Jerusalem, only the Western Wall remains. Herod's buildings all have one thing in
common. They were really majestic.
(4,5, and 6th April 2015)
Mt Sinai
According to the Book of Exodus, Mount Sinai (Hebrew: ‫רה‬
,‫סיני‬Har Sinai) is the mountain at which the Ten
Commandments were given to Moses by God. In the Book of
Deuteronomy, these events are described as having transpired at
Mount Horeb. The name "Sinai" is only used in the Torah by
the Jahwist and Priestly source, whereas Horeb is only used by
the Elohist and Deuteronomist.[1] "Sinai" and "Horeb" are
generally considered to refer to the same place, although there
is a small body of opinion that the two names may refer to
different locations.
Red Sea
Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused
the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea
into dry land, and the waters were divided. 22 So the children of Israel
went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a
wall to them on their right hand and on their left. 23 And the Egyptians
pursued and went after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh’s
horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.
7th and 8th and 9th April 2015
Galilee
Yardent - Baptism
"Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him (Matthew 3:13)".
Capernaum
It was in Simon Peter’s house that Jesus established his residence, the “headquarters” and
outreach center for his ministry in Galilee. It was in this house that Jesus lived, healed,
taught and instructed his disciples (Mark 3:20; Mark 4:10-11; Mark 3:31-35).
This village is on the northern side of Sea of Galilee, and was the center of the activities of
Jesus and his town during that time. A grand 4th C Ad Synagogue was excavated, which
stood over the Synagogue from the time of Jesus.
Matthew 4:13: "And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the
sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim
Capernaum was the center of Jesus activities in the Galilee and his town during that time.
Jesus taught in the local synagogue. It was also the home town of the apostles Peter, James,
Andrew and John, and the tax collector Matthew.
Tiberious
After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on
this wise shewed he himself. 2There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called
Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his
disciples. 3Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with
thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught
nothing.
Tiberias is one of the four Jewish Holy cities, and the capital of the Galilee. It has a long
history since it was established in the early Roman period. It was a religious, administrative
and culture center of the Jewish nation after the loss of Jerusalem for 500 years until the
Persian and Arab conquest. Many of the most important post-bible books (Mishna, Talmud)
have been composed in the city which was the home of many Jewish scholars.
Ceasar (tiberious) The Church of the Primacy
In John 21, Jesus appears to his disciples for the third time after his resurrection on the
shores of the Sea of Galilee. The night before, Peter and several other disciples had sailed out
on the lake to fish, but caught nothing. In the morning, a man appeared on the shore and
called out to them to throw their net on the right side of the boat. Doing so, they caught so
many fish they couldn't drag the net back into the boat.
At this point Peter recognizes Jesus, and promptly jumps out of the boat to wade to shore to
meet him. The other disciples follow in the boat, dragging the net behind them. When they
land, Jesus has prepared a charcoal fire for the fish and provided bread, and they have
breakfast together (John 21:9). This is believed to have taken place on the mensa Christi, a
large rock incorporated in the chapel.
After breakfast, Jesus reinstated Peter (after his three-time denial of Jesus at the crucifixion)
with the words "Feed my sheep" (John 21:15-19). This is the event for which the modern
church is named, which is interpreted by the Catholic Church to give the Pope (as the
successor of Peter) authority over the worldwide Church.
Kursi
Mark 5:13 And the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea... and were chocked in
the sea
Mt of beatitudes
Mount of Beatitudes is the hill upon which Jesus was said to have preached the "Sermon on
the Mount"Mathew 5:1-3
Tabgha
The quiet cove of Tabgha on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee is the scene of many
Gospel stories, including the Multiplication of Loaves and Fishes.
Early Christians marked the site of this miracle (Matt. 14:15-21; Mark 6:35-44; John 6:1-14)
with a church containing magnificent mosaics. The small loaves and fishes mosaic, marking
the place where Jesus uttered a blessing over the bread, has become a well-loved symbol of
this place and the miracle.
9th April 2015
Back to Tel aviv,
A Day of rest and shopping here and there.
10th April 2015
Departure back to London
9tsilica of the Annunciation