Valley of Megiddo (Armageddon)

On Saturday morning, the 22nd, I started my trip up north for 3 nights and 4 days during the Christmas Holidays. This sunrise in Jerusalem was actually taken 3 days earlier but it fit with my trip so I insterted it here.

It's such a beautiful day for a drive, I only made it about one half of a mile before taking my first picture. Earlier when I posted these pictures of Jerusalem from the south, it was a cloudy, rainy day. This prompted me to take new photos. My bus passes by this way every morning. Below the Old City is always such an attractive view.

The Mount of Olives.

The City Center to the left (west) of the Old City.

Below on the highway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, you will notice some old, abandoned vehicles. These are vehicles in the 1948 War of Independence that were destroyed by the Arabs. In 1948, there was only one road from the west to Jerusalem. Jews in Jerusalem got "cut off" from water and food supplies. This was before helicopters. The Arab communities would have all residents bring rocks up and down the hills to pile on the road. When a Jewish convoy of trucks approached even with a bulldozer, the going was very slow, if not impossible because of the rocks. This gave the Arabs time to shoot at the drivers, destroy the vehicles, etc. Not until the Jews at night secretly built a second road a little further south, nicknamed the Burma Road, were the inhabitants of Jerusalem rescued. For references, read a book like "Oh, Jerusalem" or "Genesis:1948". The State of Israel decided to leave the abandoned vehicles as a reminder of the price they paid to become a state. Today they need to set one of these vehicles in the yards of some of the politicians that are willing to divide God's Land.

After coming down out of the Judean Mountains where Jerusalem is, I turned north on a new road called Highway 6. It's a toll road built in the 1990's to "bypass" the Arab towns under the control of the Palestinian Authority. This is either Tulkarm or Taibe. You can pick out the Arab villages real easily because of the mosques. The mosques are to be the tallest structure in any Arab town. Israel is a very high tech country. There are no toll booths on the toll road. Israel reads the license plate and then sends you a bill. I rented my car from El Dan and had to sign a form acknowleding that if I drove on one of these roads, I would be responsible for the toll.

The mosques like below light up green at night. The same way the Empire State Building did on the last day of Ramadan this year. What a shame for New York to do that.

Below is the security fence that is being built between the "so-called" borders. Netanya, a large Jewish resort town on the Mediterranean coast is just a few miles west of where I am right now. During the last 15 years of the peace process, Netanya has been hit several times with suicide bombers that came out of Tulkarm.

After headning north, then back east for awhile. I came to my turn for Tel Megiddo. The sign is right in front of either an IDF post or just a heavily fortified police post. The town of Jenin is just south of here. Lots of bad guys in Jenin.

Not a pretty photo below but looking through the intersection is the Valley of Armageddon. In the distance is Mount Tabor on the right. I'm going to pay my 23 shekels and walk up Tel Megiddo to get better photos.

Entrance sign to Tel Megiddo. A historical "tel" is hill where one city is built upon another city. These places are thousands of years old. So at one time there is a city, then it is destroyed, then another one built on top of it, then it's also destroyed, etc. Israel has several such "Tels"; Tel Megiddo; Tel Dan; Tel Hazor; Tel Bet Shean; etc. Tel Aviv is only hundred years old and just adopted the theme of the Biblical Lands. Aviv is "spring". Spring Hill would be the translation.

The Valley of Megiddo is vast and it will take several photos to show the panorama. No wonder hundred's of thousands can be gathered here at one time. For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Revelation 16:14. And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon. Revelation 16:16.

In the center of this photo the city in white is Nazereth. The Lord Jesus grew up and ministered in and around the Valley of Megiddo.

In the distance just to the right is Mount Tabor (round at the top). It is located at the other end of the valley. Deborah and Barak in the Book of Judges (1200-1300 years before the Lord Jesus came to Nazereth) are one story regarding Mount Tabor. Then Deborah said to Barak, "Up! For this is the day in which the LORD has delivered Sisera into your hand. Has not the LORD gone out before you?" So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand men following him. Judges 4:14

Below Mount Tabor is just to the left and the mountain on the right and the southern end of the valley is Mount Gilboa. This is where King Saul and his son Jonathan fell several hundred years later after Deborah and Barak. So it happened the next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. 1st Samuel 31:8

Below looking due south towards Jerusalem with Mount Gilboa on the left. The Valley of Megiddo is also Biblically known as the Valley of Jezreel. Gidion fought here in the Book of Judges. Then all the Midianites and Amalekites, the people of the East, gathered together; and they crossed over and encamped in the Valley of Jezreel. But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon; then he blew the trumpet, and the abiezrites gathered behind him. Judges 6:33-34.

Another view south of the Valley of Jezreel. King Ahab of Israel (Samaria) and Jezebel were here. And it came to pass after these things that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard which was in Jezreel, next to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. 1st Kings 21:1..... And concerning Jezebel the LORD also spoke, saying, ‘The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.’ The dogs shall eat whoever belongs to Ahab and dies in the city, and the birds of the air shall eat whoever dies in the field." 1st Kings 21:23-24.

Below are the ruins of Tel Megiddo. King Solomon restored Megiddo as one of his fortresses.
And this is the reason for the labor force which King Solomon raised: to build the house of the LORD, his own house, the Millo, the wall of Jerusalem, Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer. 1st Kings 9:15.

Below portions of the Tel that may be excavated in the future.
Good King Josiah fell at Megiddo. In his days Pharaoh Necho king of Egypt went to the aid of the king of Assyria, to the River Euphrates; and King Josiah went against him. And Pharaoh Necho killed him at Megiddo when he confronted him. Then his servants moved his body in a chariot from Megiddo, brought him to Jerusalem, and buried him in his own tomb. II Kings 23:29-30.

The entrance to ancient Megiddo.

Looking back to where I had taken the photos.

Driving about halfway thru the valley, I stopped to take this photo. Nazereth would be just north but I was headed east through Afula towards Tiberias located on the Sea of Galilee.

This is a good view of Nazereth in the distance. You can see it is on a hill. When the Lord Jesus revealed Himself as the Messiah, the Saviour of the world, those in Nazereth wanted to throw Him off the cliff. So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, "Is this not Joseph’s son?" He said to them, "You will surely say this proverb to Me, ‘Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in Your country.’" Then He said, "Assuredly, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country. But I tell you truly, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout all the land; but to none of them was Elijah sent except to Zarephath, in the region of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian." So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff. Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way. Luke 4:16-30. My drive up north to Vered HaGalil will be continued in the next posting.

Christmas Day 2007

The past two Christmas mornings, Kay and I woke up in hospitals after she had surgeries. This year I woke up just north of the Sea of Galillee at a guest farm called Vered HaGalil (Rose of the Galilee). I will do a separate posting on Vered HaGalil later. This morning I am to meet a kibbutz representative of Kefar HaNasi which is just a little bit north of Vered HaGalill. CFI calls their outreach to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Project David's Shield. Karen, the Project Coordinator for David's Shield knew I was going up north and asked if I wanted to deliver some fleece jackets to the "lone soldiers" at Kfar HaNasi. An immediate "yes ma'am" was the answer. The term, "lone soldiers" refers to young Jewish boys and girls that have made aliyah (moved) to Israel but their family still lives elsewhere (like the US). On their weekends off or holidays, sometimes the lone solders do not have a place to go. CFI has a big outreach to these lone solders. At Kfar HaNasi, 31 families have each "adopted" a soldier. The fleece jackets which are very nice and lightweight but provide plenty of warmth are for them. Below is the street sign for my turn off of the highway.

Not necessarily expecting the Kfar HaNasi soldiers to be there, the kibbutz representative told me upon my arrival that an IDF Unit had just returned from navigating (night patrol) of the Lebanon Border (Hezbullah territory). Kfar HaNasi offered them a place to rest and have breakfast. These young men were very tired and obviously had an exhausting night. Below my contact was going to wake all of them up for a group photo and I was telling him to "let them sleep". However, I did take a few shots around the room while I enjoyed a cup of coffee.

Below those that are awake are watching The Simpsons in Hebrew.

Below is the buffet table. Not a spread like the 5-Star Hotels but these young warriors did not care. They were hungry, thirsty, and tired. One young man asked me "Why do you Christians care? Can you explain it to me?" What a wonderful 15 minute conversation we had after that question. You should have seen his eyes light up when I told him that he was defending God's land just like Joshua and King David in the Tanach. May the Lord Jesus be exalted in everything we do. May these young men come to know the true God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Then Joshua said to them, "Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed; be strong and of good courage, for thus the LORD will do to all your enemies against whom you fight." Joshua 10:25

He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved. Psalm 62:2

But the LORD has been my defense, And my God the rock of my refuge. Psalm 94:22

Below if I needed to warm my coffee or make a waffle, I would have to move the rifle first.

Below it was also a good idea to watch where I stepped.

Below is one of the jeeps some of these young men were traveling in.

My contact told me to head down this road and take a right towards the kibbutz exit.

Lush greenery and green grass for late December.

Below the fence that goes around the kibbutz to help keep out the bad guys.

Below just on the other side of the road is hundreds and hundreds of potted plants and trees. This could be one way the kibbutz raises money to support itself.

Below are more and more potted plants.

The Lord's beauty can be found everywhere. Even in Kfar HaNesi which took 13 kassam rockets in the 2006 Lebanon War with Hizbullah. However, they all fell harmlessly in the open areas.
‘O Lord GOD, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your mighty hand, for what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do anything like Your works and Your mighty deeds? Deuteronomy 3:24

Most of the kibbutzim and moshavim have these iron gates at the entrance.

After visiting Kfar HaNasi, before heading back to Jerusalem, I wanted to go over to the Mediteranean Coast to see Shlomi, the little town I pray for in CFI's Wall of Prayer. I had never driven Israeli Highway 899 which runs right along side the Lebanon border towards the coast. It was a beautiful day for a drive as I headed up the hills (mountains).

The sky and the clouds were magnificient the higher I went. Previously I had asked the Lord Jesus to accompany me on my trip and He did.

Below I actually felt like I was among the clouds and stopped on the highway to take the photo. Either the Lord was coming down Jacob's ladder or I was driving up. Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. Genesis 28:12

As I turned around to go back to the car and there was Mount Hermon clear as a bell. It had been a little hazy the previous two days. Mount Hermon would be on the opposite side of Israel against the Lebanon and Syrian border. Israel is a narrow country. Her enemies are very close.
O my God, my soul is cast down within me; Therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan, And from the heights of Hermon...Psalm 42:6.

Below when I zoomed it the photo turned out real nice. It is like the dew of Hermon, Descending upon the mountains of Zion; For there the LORD commanded the blessing—Life forevermore. Psalm 133:3

Below I took photos when I could. Sometimes I needed both hands on the wheel.

Below I started a descent downhill.

Below I was getting ready for the long slope downhill. I bet skate boarders would love this run.

Below is the majesty of the clouds. For the day is near, Even the day of the LORD is near; It will be a day of clouds, the time of the Gentiles. Ezekiel 30:3

For Your mercy reaches unto the heavens, And Your truth unto the clouds. Psalm 57:10

There are a lot of forests and trees along this route. Sing, O heavens, for the LORD has done it! Shout, you lower parts of the earth; Break forth into singing, you mountains, O forest, and every tree in it! For the LORD has redeemed Jacob,
And glorified Himself in Israel. Isaiah 44:23

Who covers the heavens with clouds, Who prepares rain for the earth, Who makes grass to grow on the mountains. Psalm 147:8

Below is a little town in northen Israel just south of the highway.

Below, if you zoom in, looking north you would see in the center left a small town in Lebanon. Both countries have a lot of communication towers for observation.

Below I eventually reach my destination of Shelomi.

Of course they spell the name of the town differently (without the "e") in the City Center. In Israel, that's ok. In fact, it's very common.

At one time, Shlomi had a church. May the Lord open these doors again so that His Word may be preached. "Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: "I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name’s sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went. And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am the LORD," says the Lord GOD, "when I am hallowed in you before their eyes. For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God. Ezekiel 36:22-28

Shlomi has some beauty also.

One last photo of flowers then I was on my way to Jerusalem. Kay would have loved the drive.