A lot has has happened since the last installment and it involves a lot of traveling. After visiting the Elah valley where David killed Goliath we visited two possible places where Jesus met with the disciples traveling on the Emmaus road. The town of Emmaus has been lost so the only hints are from the Bible. As the story goes Jesus appears to two sad disciples who are walking to Emmaus from Jerusalem (Luke 24). They do not recognize them but He proceeds to tell them using the Scripture that Messiah was supposed to die and rise again. They stop for the evening and Jesus agrees to eat with them. As soon as He breaks the bread they recognize Him and He disappears.
One of these spots is an Arab town called Abu Gosh. Here the Parkwood disciples met for a last meal as a total group. We had a great meal and celebrated our experience so far. Then, 5 of the group got on the road to Tel Aviv to fly home and 18 headed back to Jerusalem.
Those of us who went back to Jerusalem woke early in the morning, which was still Thursday night for you at home, and got on the road again headed north to the boarder crossing into Jordan. We crossed the Jordan River into the eastern Holy Land from Israel. We were immediately in the area of the decapolis (10 Roman cities) mentioned in the Bible. This is the area where Jesus sent the man who He had freed from the demons (sent them into the swine). We visited the city of Gerasa which Luke 8:26 calls the region of the Gerasenes. Biblical archeologists feel there is evidence that they are the same place. At any rate, we did see hoe Jesus taught in this area.
We then arrived in the ancient city of Amman which was originally founded by the descendants of Lot. God would not let the Israelites conquer this portion of land although they continued to have border disputes into the time of the Judges and Kings. The were a thorn in Israel’s side until they were defeated by the Babylonians. In Zephaniah 2:8, 9 they are condemned by God because of their rebellion against God and His people. Needless to say, the people living in Amman today do not trace their roots back to Lot.
May God bless and keep the part of our group safe that is headed back to Virginia and may He continue to reveal Himself to those here in the land of Jordan!
Keep praying! More later!