The Safety and Protection of Masada

Any visit to the country of Israel must include a stop at Masada. Herod the Great built Masada to be one of his palaces to be used in the winter months. The plateau on which Masada was built is about 1300 feet higher than the surface of the Dead Sea. This made it almost impossible for foreign forces to penetrate its outer walls. After Herod the Great died and the Romans destroyed the city of Jerusalem in 70AD, hundreds of Jewish rebels (along with their families) retreated to Masada. Given the easily defendable nature of Masada, it took the Roman forces over three years before they were able to conquer it. Once they came in, they soon realized that all 960 of the inhabitants (with the exception of two women and five children) had burned the storage houses and committed suicide. They would rather suffer death than to live as Roman slaves. Before the time of Herod the Great, a fortress on the plateau of Masada would have been easy for anyone to defend. Although the word "masada" is never found in our English Bibles, the word literally means "fortress" or "stronghold". When David was in the area fleeing from Saul, it mentions that he went to a fortress.

So David swore to Saul. And Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold. - 1 Samuel 24:22

Later in David's life, as he reflected on his conflict with Saul, David uses the words "fortress" and "stronghold" in his description of God.

I will love You, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies. - Psalms 18:1-3

Given the safety and protection that Masada provided to its inhabitants, it is no wonder that David used that imagery to describe the feelings that he had for God.

I've recently updated the website to include more information and pictures of Masada.

Herod the Great Exhibit Video

Back in December, I posted a blog entry about the upcoming Herod the Great exhibit at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. Earlier today, I saw a great video made by the Israel Museum promoting the upcoming exhibit. It is only a minute long and I encourage you to watch it.

Even though it is not mentioned in the video, I am fairly confident that it was filmed at the large Jerusalem model at the museum. During Jesus' time, the palace was located on the western edge of the city. Knowing the location of places like this help you to better understand the Biblical accounts.

For instance, during the trials of Jesus, we read:

When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked if the Man were a Galilean. And as soon as he knew that He belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time. Now when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad; for he had desired for a long time to see Him, because he had heard many things about Him, and he hoped to see some miracle done by Him. Then he questioned Him with many words, but He answered him nothing. And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused Him. Then Herod, with his men of war, treated Him with contempt and mocked Him, arrayed Him in a gorgeous robe, and sent Him back to Pilate. That very day Pilate and Herod became friends with each other, for previously they had been at enmity with each other. - Luke 23:6-12

Although it is not explicitly mentioned, it is reasonable to conclude that this conversation took place in Herod's palace. With that mind, let's consider the last days of Jesus' life.

• He started in Bethany (about 2 miles east of Jerusalem).
• He came into town for the last supper with his apostles (possibly in the upper city).
• He went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray (located outside the eastern side of the city).
• He was arrested and led to the house of Caiaphas (possibly located in the upper city).
• In the morning, He was led to the Sanhedrin (exact location unknown).
• He was then led to Pilate (located in either the Antonio Fortress or in or near the palace).
• He was then led to Herod (probably in the palace on the western edge of the city).
• He was then led back to Pilate.
• Finally, He was led to the cross (located outside the city).

That is a lot of walking.

We often read passages like "he sent Him to Herod" and don't take the time to consider the fact that he walked these distances (possibly in shackles) with very little sleep. It is no wonder that the guards did not have to break His legs to speed up His death during the crucifixion. By the time Jesus made it to the cross, He was completely exhausted.

As I mentioned earlier, knowing the locations of these Biblical places help you understand the stories.

Snow at the Israel Museum

I'm still seeing a large number of great pictures taken around Israel with regards to the snow. In particular, one picture this morning caught my eye. At the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, there is a rather large model of the city of Jerusalem during the Second Temple period. You can walk around it and stare at it for hours remembering the stories that you have read in the Bible. On their Facebook page this morning, they posted the following picture of the model in the snow:

You can compare that picture to one that I took back when I visited back in September:

With all of these pictures of snow in Jerusalem this week, I was reminded by a good friend who lives in Washington State of a passage from the period of the King David:

Benaiah was the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man from Kabzeel, who had done many deeds. He had killed two lion-like heroes of Moab. He also had gone down and killed a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day. - 1 Chronicles 11:22

Heavy Snow in Jerusalem

If you have seen the news today, then you have probably seen many pictures or video of the snow that has fallen across much of Israel today. Some parts of Jerusalem have received up to eight inches of snow. I thought I would include a few additional pictures that were sent to me from a friend of mine who lives just outside the city. He is around 2400 feet in elevation. When I see pictures like this, I can help but remember the verse from John 10:22-23:

Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch.

Snow and Rain in Jerusalem

As I have mentioned before, people who have never been to Israel often think of it as a very warm and dry place. It is true that there are some areas of the country that are desert-like, most notably the Negev in the southern part of the country. In addition, there are times during the summer in which the periods of rain are very few and far between. For instance, Jerusalem rarely gets any rain between the months of April and October. Still, you have to remember that Jerusalem is about 750 meters (2500 feet) in elevation and during the winter, can receive a lot of rain. And, on occasion, receive snow. Within the past day, much of the land of Israel has received copious amounts of rain. From the Galilee area, down the central mountain range, and through Jerusalem, many centimeters of rain has fallen. And, in many areas, this has fallen as snow. Reports from Mount Hermon state that many areas of the mountain have received over a meter of snow. It has been snowing in Nazareth and this morning, many parts of Jerusalem have received about two centimeters (about an inch) of snow. The Jerusalem Post posted a number of pictures of the rain, flooding and snowfall, which I encourage you to view.

In 2006, my parents were traveling with Ferrell Jenkins and were able to witness this phenomenon. On April 2, the city of Jerusalem received over 4 inches of rain. The water drained out of the metropolitan area and rushed into Wadi Qelt. (Wadi Qelt is a valley and stream that run east from Jerusalem down toward Jericho. It is very deep and in many areas it is impassible to someone traveling north to south.) Wadi Qelt flooded in many places and washed out some roads when it drained out into the valley. I have attached a few pictures from that event.

When I look at the pictures, I can't help but think of the example that Jesus used as he encouraged the people to listen to him.

“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. - Matthew 7:24-29

2012 Archaeology News

I'll openly admit, I don't know much about archaeology. But, I enjoy learning about it and am always very interested in learning what they find. Recently, I've seen a couple of items on the Internet that reflected back on the archaeology in 2012. I highly recommend reading and/or watching them. 2012 Ophel Excavation - Dr. Eilat Mazar lead the effort just to the south of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. This area is typically referred to as the Ophel (2 Chronicles 27:3). They have produced an eleven-minute video which sums up the work that they have done during 2012. The last five minutes of the film are especially interesting with Dr. Mazar walking through a number of the excavations and providing her own analysis.

Continental News has produced an article entitled "The Top Ten Discoveries in Biblical Archaeology in 2012". I was lucky enough to be in Jerusalem at the same time of the announcement of the First Temple Period Reservoir (#3 on their list), but was unable to see if for myself. It's on my Bucket List.

HT: Luke Chandler, Ferrell Jenkins, Todd Bolen

New Years Resolutions

What are you planning on doing better this new year? How about taking more time to read the Bible? Near the modern city of Nazareth, a first century synagogue has been reconstructed. I have provided a picture of the inside of this structure with this post. Seeing buildings like this help us to better understand the passages when we read them.

When given the opportunity, Jesus took the time to read the scriptures. In Luke 4, we find an account when Jesus entered a synagogue in Nazareth and read from the prophet Isaiah.

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.”

Look at the attached picture and try to imagine Jesus standing there with all of the people sitting around listening to him. It makes the passage from Luke 4 seem a little more real doesn't it?

Let me encourage you this year to strive to understand the scriptures more. I'll do my best to help you with that by providing information on many of the places in the Bible. Working together, we can encourage each other.

Flash Flooding in the Valley of Harod

Weather in Israel is very interesting. (Author disclaimer: Both my wife and I have degrees in Meteorology, so we think that ALL weather is interesting. Please hold off on nerd-based comments until further notice.) Often, people have a misunderstanding of the land of Israel in that it is completely arid and warm. While there are locations in the land that can be described that way, overall, that is not the case. Generally speaking, the country of Israel has two seasons: summer and winter. During the transition times, you have periods of heavy rain. You can even read about these periods of rain in the Bible.

And it shall be that if you earnestly obey My commandments which I command you today, to love the Lord your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, then I will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil. - Deuteronomy 11:13-14

The early rains come in the fall and the latter rains come in the spring. During the summer, very little rain will fall in many areas of the country. Consequently, when the early rains come, flash flooding can easily occur.

Earlier today, I read posts from Luke Chandler (who gave a hat-tip to Ferrell Jenkins) and Todd Bolen who featured a link to an amazing piece of video from flash flooding in the Valley of Harod. The Valley of Harod stretches a few miles from the eastern edge of the Jezreel Valley to the city of Beit-She'an.

I am also reminded of Elijah's warning to King Ahab.

So he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you.’” Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel. - 1 Kings 18:44-45

Elijah knew that flash flooding would occur in the Jezreel Valley once the rains came and sent his servant to warn King Ahab about it.

Isn't the weather in Israel interesting?

(You may now proceed with your nerd-based comments.)

2012 Israel Trip Favorite Picture - Part III

As we close out 2012, I want to include one more picture from the trip that I took to Israel in September. Both of the times I have visited Israel, one of the highlights was to take a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. From that vantage point, you can see so many of the locations that we read about in the Bible. One of the buildings that you can see is the Franciscan church commonly called the Church of the Primacy of St. Peter. Traditionally, the church sits on the location of the breakfast in which Jesus ate with his apostles after his resurrection.

After these things Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and in this way He showed Himself: Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We are going with you also.” They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing. But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Then Jesus said to them, “Children, have you any food?” They answered Him, “No.” And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish. Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it), and plunged into the sea. But the other disciples came in the little boat (for they were not far from land, but about two hundred cubits), dragging the net with fish. Then, as soon as they had come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have just caught.” Simon Peter went up and dragged the net to land, full of large fish, one hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not broken. Jesus said to them, “Come and eat breakfast.” Yet none of the disciples dared ask Him, “Who are You?”—knowing that it was the Lord. Jesus then came and took the bread and gave it to them, and likewise the fish. This is now the third time Jesus showed Himself to His disciples after He was raised from the dead. - John 21:1-14

As I took the picture, I thought about this story. I wondered how disappointed the apostles felt in that they had fished all night but had nothing to show for it. Then, as I continued to look through the viewfinder, I realized that, like the apostles, I couldn't recognize any of the people on the shore. Obviously, I was much farther from shore than they were, but it was so interesting to realize that I was seeing a sight very similar to them.

Sowing the Seed

Good speakers find ways of relating their message to their audience. Jesus understood this fact. That is what made him a good speaker. Consequently, he often used parables.

On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. - Matthew 13:1-8

I took the attached picture last September while I was in Nazareth. Just like in Biblical times, agriculture is still used throughout the country. That is why we can understand Jesus' message. He is encouraging us to sow the seed. Just like in the parable, it is not always going to fall on good ground. But we must continue to sow.

How much seed did you sow in 2012? Do you need to sow more in 2013? Remember, the more you sow, the greater chance some will fall on good ground.

Herod the Great Exhibit

A few weeks ago, I blogged about the importance of understanding the Herodium. Even though the Herodium is never mentioned in the Bible, learning about it helps you to understand Herod the Great, who was the Roman ruler in Judea at the time of the birth of Jesus. Recently, CNN had a video report of a new exhibit at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. It is slated to run from February to September of next year and will be dedicated to the history and architecture of Herod the Great. This is fantastic as it will allow us to see many of the artifacts that surround this historically important individual.

Since it is highly unlikely that many of us will be able to travel to Jerusalem to see the exhibit, we'll need to hope that there will be a lot of pictures and/or videos posted on the Internet. As I see information on the exhibit, I will try to pass them along.

Walking through Samaria

Last September, I had the privilege of traveling through the area of the West Bank that we commonly refer to as Samaria. During my time in that region, I was amazed at the size of the hills and mountains in the region. The picture at right was taken from the ancient city of Samaria looking toward the north. As I stood there looking at those hills, I considered what it would be like to walk through this area from Jerusalem to Galilee. It would probably be a tiring trip. And, I'd probably get hungry. And thirsty. Then I remembered the story in John 4.

Therefore, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples), He left Judea and departed again to Galilee. But He needed to go through Samaria. So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” The woman said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water? Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?” Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” - John 4:1-14

Jerusalem In Winter

Earlier today, I saw a fantastic picture of Jerusalem with snow on the ground. The picture was credited to Duby Tal (Albatross) and was taken last March. Often, we think of the Bible lands as being an arid place. This is not true. Even places like Jerusalem experience different types of weather as the seasons change. In looking at this picture, I am reminded of a couple of verses in the Book of John.

Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch. - John 10:22,23

Archaeology in Jerusalem

For people that have been to Jerusalem, there was a blog post written this morning by Todd Bolen that should make you chuckle a bit. He referenced a story about a Hasmonean village that has been found in a Jerusalem neighborhood. It was found because they happen to be doing some digging under a modern road.

In the city of Jerusalem, you can see hundreds and hundreds of years of history above the surface. However, below the surface, there are thousands of years of history. You can't dig anywhere in Jerusalem without uncovering something from a by-gone era. And, when ever something is uncovered, the authorities come in and quickly quarantine the area so that further study can be done. (Don't get me wrong, I'm glad that they do that. We need to preserve as much history as we can to learn from it.) I've even spoken to people who live in Israel (and Jerusalem specifically) who have been tilling the ground in their own backyard and stumble across some old coins. Once word got out, they had to stop until the entire yard could be inspected.

The lesson to learn here is that it really doesn't matter where you dig in Jerusalem, you are probably going to dig up some history. So, don't be surprised.

On my first trip to Jerusalem, there was a large construction area just to the south of the Temple Mount and across the street from the ancient City of David. They were about to put in a parking garage to handle the large number of cars that come into the city on a daily basis. But, as soon as the first scoop of dirt was lifted up, they found ruins everywhere. Now, there is a large excavation taking place. My guess is that a parking garage will never appear on that location.

In 2004, some city workers were digging for a new sewage canal just south of the City of David. That's what led to the discovery of the Pool of Siloam. They have now put up a temporary sewage pipe, but different plans will have to be put in place for a long-term solution.

History is everywhere in Jerusalem. If you don't believe me, just pick up a shovel and start digging. Just don't expect to get too far.

Stones of the Temple

In the First Century BC, Herod the Great expanded the Temple Mount in Jerusalem to the size that it is today. He moved thousands of cubic meters of dirt and surrounded the area with walls consisting of huge stones. Once the Temple Mount was complete, he renovated the temple itself so that it dominated the skyline of the city. From nearly anywhere in the city of Jerusalem, you can look up and see the temple. At the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, they have a fantastic model of Jerusalem from the Second Temple period. This model is rather large and takes a few minutes just to walk around it. Of course, we don't know exactly what everything looked like, but we have a pretty good idea based on archaeology and the writings of the time. I have included a picture of the Temple Mount area from the model. As you can tell, the majesty of the temple, especially in relation to the rest of the city, could not be denied.

In Mark 13, Jesus and the apostles were in Jerusalem and were discussing the grandeur of the city.

Then as He went out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!” And Jesus answered and said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone shall be left upon another, that shall not be thrown down.” - Mark 13:1,2

The disciples were proud of the buildings and the beauty of them. However, Jesus quickly responded by informing them that there would come a time in which this would be destroyed.

The second picture is a picture that I took last September. It is of a First Century street that ran north to south, just below the southwest corner of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Between the street and the wall, you will notice huge piles of boulders. These boulders are the stones that were thrown off by the Romans when they destroyed the temple in 70AD.

Jesus used the stones which made up the temple as a reminder to the disciples not to be swept up and founded in the things of this world. Interestingly, 2000 years later, I use these same stones to remind myself that the promises of Jesus come true.

Keep On Fishing

The apostles had fished all night and caught nothing. They were exhausted. Early in the morning, as the sun's first rays were being cast upon the Sea of Galilee, a stranger on the bank encouraged the men to cast their nets on the other side of the boat. Since some of these men were professional fishermen, they knew that this action was completely illogical. It should make no difference which side of the boat they cast their nets on. But this time it would be different.

They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing. But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Then Jesus said to them, “Children, have you any food?” They answered Him, “No.” And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish. - John 21:3b-6

When you are tired, it is easy to give up. But, that is when you have to buckle down, keep your perspective and do the right thing. These men could have just ignored the man on the shore. But something about what he said or how he said it made them do the right thing and try one more time.

Are there any lessons that we can learn from this story? (Hint: The answer is "yes".)

The attached picture was taken from Tiberias, looking east across the Sea of Galilee as the sun quickly rises over the Golan Heights.

Zondervan Atlas of the Bible (and other notes)

A while back, I blogged about a new purchase of the Zondervan Atlas of the Bible. It is a fantastic book with lots of pictures, maps and geographical information. I use it nearly every day and highly recommend it. As it turns out, it is available today from Christianbook.com for an extremely low price of $14.99. This would make a great gift for someone. Also, in case you have missed them, here are a few links to some of the more recent posts:

December 1 - Elisha Could See the Shumannite Woman Coming November 29th - Omrit November 27th - Paul in the Praetorium November 22nd - King Herod and the Herodium

Elisha Could See the Shunammite Woman Coming

During the period of the Divided Kingdom, Elisha served as a prophet of God to the nation of Israel. As he passed through the Jezreel Valley, he would frequently stay in the town of Shunam with a woman and her husband. This friendly couple even built an extra room on to their house so that Elisha would have a place to stay (1 Kings 4:8-10). After a period of time, Elisha wanted to repay the woman for the kindness she had shown to him. Since the couple was childless, Elisha's servant, Gehazi recommended that the couple be provided with a son. Elisha promised them a child and about a year later, a son was born.

Years later, the young man was working out in the field and developed a headache. Soon after arriving back at home, he died in his mother's arms. Distraught, the Shunammite woman got on her donkey to go and find Elisha, who was now at Mount Carmel. Then, in 1 Kings 4:24-25, we read:

Then she saddled a donkey, and said to her servant, “Drive, and go forward; do not slacken the pace for me unless I tell you.” And so she departed, and went to the man of God at Mount Carmel. So it was, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to his servant Gehazi, “Look, the Shunammite woman!"

As you know, Elisha soon raised the young man from the dead as a show of the power of God.

Recently, I was in a Bible class where we were discussing this story. I was struck by the phrase "when the man of God saw her afar off". I was reminded of a picture that I took last September when I was in Israel. I have featured that picture in this post. This picture is taken from Mount Carmel looking east in the direction of the Hill of Moreh. The town of Sulam is the modern city which sits on ancient Shunam, which was located in the Jezreel Valley just southwest of the Hill of Moreh. In the picture, Shunam would have sat just to the right of the hill.

As Elisha and Gehazi sat on Mount Carmel, this would have been the approximate view that they would have had. As you can see, it would have been easy to see a couple of people riding donkeys heading in their direction.

Isn't it interesting how accurate the Bible is?

Omrit

I've added a new page on the website concerning the location of Omrit. Haven't heard of it? Don't feel bad. I don't believe that it is specifically mentioned in the Bible, but it is turning out to be an important archaeological find. It is located approximate 4 kilometers southwest of Caesarea Philippi and just south of a major highway during the First Century. Visit the page to learn more.

Paul in the Praetorium

Traveling to the Bible Lands helps you to appreciate the stories so much more. Shortly after my first trip to Israel, I was given the privilege of teaching a class on the Book of Acts. With my newly found interest in the geography of the book, I approached the study very differently. As we were studying the later chapters of Acts, I mentioned that the Apostle Paul spent two years in the praetorium in Herod's palace in Caesarea Maritima. I also mentioned that he probably sat there and could hear the people of the city outside attending public events and having a fun time. How do I know this? Well, that is where a little knowledge about the city can aid you in having a deeper understanding of the scriptures.

This morning, Ferrell Jenkins continued his series of posts on locations in the Book of Acts. He provides two fantastic aerial pictures of the remains of the palace at Caesarea Maritima. The assumption is that the praetorium where Paul would have stayed would have been located at the far end of the palace (away from the coastline). You will also notice from the picture that the southern end of the hippodrome is very close to that same location.

Now, imagine that those stands are completely filled with citizens of the city enjoying chariot races or other forms of entertainment. No doubt, Paul would have been sitting in his room and could hear those cheers. All the while, he knows he can't go out and enjoy it.

The Bible never mentions this, and admittedly, this is mostly assumption on my part. However, isn't it interesting to consider things like that? I think that we often soften the suffering that Paul goes through in Caesarea because he wasn't in a "real prison". But I'm sure it was lonely. And, my guess is that it was very frustrating to him. He knew that within a few feet of his location, there were thousands of people that needed to hear the message that he carried with him. But, he was locked in a room.

So close...yet, so far away.