Journey to Galilee Part 1
Doing anything in another land can be challenging. One of our biggest challenges here has been trying to work around the weekly Sabbath as well as the many holidays on which everything closes down. Renting a car when everything is closed can become complex. I spent half a day and walked all over Jerusalem with the help of one of the volunteers at CMJ (Dave) to get it done. We had to pick it up a day earlier because of the Sabbath.
On Saturday morning we headed south (yes I know Galilee is north of Jerusalem) to visit the Sorek Caves in Beth Shemesh. This is the place where in Joshua 6, the Ark of the Lord stopped on it’s way back from it’s captivity by the Philistines. Here they were blasting in a mining operation and the explosion opened a doorway into a treasure chamber. They found one of the sweetest and most intense stalactite cave systems I have ever seen. Not enormous in size but exceptional in the beauty and variety of stalactites throughout.
We did not have a map to get us there so we followed our noses and made several attempts to communicate in Hebrew for directions. It was well worth the trip and the many Jewish families who came with their children obviously felt the same.
The other destination we were after was the Valley of Elah, the site of David’s famous battle with the giant, Goliath. Today it is a beautiful place of rolling hills and vineyards but once long ago two armies faced each other on opposing hills. The fearsome aspect of a nine foot Philistine named Goliath had stolen the courage away from Israel. It was the faith in God and the chutzpah of a youth named David that won the victory for Israel. I couldn’t pass up this opportunity to stand in the Valley of Elah and throw a stone in memory of that day!
Click the photos below to view them full-size…
Blast Site at Beth Shemesh
Sorek Cave
The Valley of Elah
Stalactites
Craig and his ride!