Route 6

If you tour Israel in your own rented vehicle (as opposed to bus tours) you will probably find yourself on Route 6 at some point. It is the main north-south artery in Israel. It is the only toll road in the country, I think. For getting somewhere fast, Route 6 is the way to go. You'll think you are on a U.S. Interstate Highway!

Valley of Ayalon

Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon.

Joshua 10:12

 

I have already blogged about the Valley of Ayalon, but these photos are helpful to give perspective to the width and length of this famous valley. A railway bridge cuts through these fields, which were cotton, I think.

Bridge of Strings

 I like it. This artistic bridge is also sometimes called the Chords Bridge. It was designed to symbolize King David's Harp. This rail and pedestrian bridge now features prominently in Jerusalem's landscape.

It is a 246 million shekel (equivalent to about 70 million dollars) architectural achievement that some say was unnecessary. I guess I might think it was rather extravagant also if it had been my tax dollars funding its construction!

Living Room Mikveh

What do you think this is a picture of? 

It may seem strange that I would post such a photo on this blog, but a story in the "Bible History Daily," a newsletter from the Biblical Archaeology Society, caught my eye.

This is the living room of a Jewish family in Ein Kerem, a quiet suburb just outside Jerusalem. During renovations, this family discovered a mikveh under the floor of their home. 

What is so significant about an approximately 2,000-year-old archaeological discovery underneath a modern-day Jewish home?

A mikveh was a Jewish ritual purification water pool. Immersion in these pools was a common occurrence and of extreme significance. In typical Second Temple Period style, as seen in many mikva'ot (plural of mikveh), this mikveh has steps leading down into it.

To Christians, there is little doubt that the Jewish mikveh was a precursor of Christian baptism. When a person became a follower of Yeshua/Jesus, he or she immersed in a mikveh. Several instances of such immersions are recorded in the New Testament book of Acts. 

I find it interesting that none of these people resisted immersion, such as is often the case in modern-day America, where baptism is no longer considered important. Why didn't New Testament followers of Jesus resist baptism just as vehemently as many do today? 

Because they implicitly understood the symbolism and high importance of immersion in a mikveh, or baptism, as it is called in the New Testament. It was so innate to their culture that they inherently understood the significance of being immersed in a mikveh "for the remission of sins" (Acts 2:38) They knew that mikva'ot were designed for spiritual cleansing and renewal. 

Many, many mikva'ot have been discovered in Israel, especially in Jerusalem. For Christians, these archaeological finds are thrilling when we understand their significance. They reinforce the biblical purpose and importance of Christian baptism.

I plan to write a series of "Walking Ancient Paths" blog posts in 2016 about mikva'ot. I have already researched this topic somewhat and found it to be rich with meaning that I think many Christians will find just as interesting and exciting as I do. An ancient Jewish mikveh is just one more example of the Bible's authenticity! The Bible is still a book that can be trusted.

For more information about this living room discovery, check out: 

http://www.antiquities.org.il/Article_eng.aspx?sec_id=25&subj_id=240&id=4126

The above photo is from antiquities.org.il. The article on the Israel Antiquities Authority website is called "A Two Thousand Year Old Secret Below the Living Room Floor-July 2015."

Emmaus

And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.

And they talked together of all these things which had happened.

And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.

Luke 24:13-15

 

This was one of those, "Oh-look-there's-a-sign-that-says-'______'-can-we-stop-here-for-a-minute?" requests that my patient husband is so familiar with. 

I can't remember where we were headed and I was only able to take a few pictures and look at the ruins from afar. But that is okay, since this proposed location for the biblical city of Emmaus is only hypothetical. No one knows for sure where Emmaus was and the ruins here are of a Byzantine-era basilica. 

Regardless, for a few brief moments my heart pounded. Whether it was here or a few miles away, Jesus appeared to two sad disciples after His resurrection. In Emmaus Jesus "opened the eyes" of these two disciples and they realized that it was their resurrected Lord that had been talking with them. 

"And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?" 

They returned to Jerusalem and told the eleven disciples that Jesus had appeared to them. While they were talking, Jesus again appeared. 

Luke 24 is an amazing passage which chronicles the glory of the resurrected Christ.