Presby-Musings

Today our pilgrimage to the Holy Land will take us to the ruins of Caesarea Philippi. Ancient Canaanites worshipped there thousands of years before Christ.  These Canaanites engaged in barbaric forms of worship, including the sacrifice of infant children, which were thrown into the deep spring that pooled inside the massive cave at the back of the site.  This cave was often referred to as the "Gates of Hades."  More on that in a bit.  By the time Jesus and his disciples made the trek north from the Galilee to Caesarea Philippi, it had been shaped by Greek and then Roman influences, and was the site of the debauched worship of a variety of gods, including the Greek god Pan.  There was even a temple erected for the worship of Caesar Augustus.   In Matthew chapter 16, Jesus stands in front of the ancient temples with his disciples and asks them a question:  "Who do people say that I am?"   The disciples responded by saying: “Some say Joh...

There is a story in the Gospels of a journey that Jesus took with his disciples to Caesarea Philippi, which was a pagan shrine north of the Galilee in the lush forests at the foot of Mt. Hermon.    Caesarea Philippi was the site of an underground spring that made its way to the surface out of a large cave.  A lot of evil things had been done in this pagan shrine over the centuries--dating back to when it was a shrine and sacrificial site to ancient Canaanite gods. When Jesus and his disciples visited there, there were temples to the Roman gods Zeus and Pan, as well as a temple for the worship of Caesar Augustus.  The sort of worship that took place there was often filled with debauchery of every kind.   As they stood in front of all of these temples, and gazed upon the scores of people worshipping and sacrificing at Caesarea Philippi, Jesus turned and asked his followers:     "Who do people say that I am?"   The disciples seemed ...

Before we returned from our second trip to the Holy Land in as many years, my wife Merideth and I began planning our next one. We hoped to return once again in the Spring after Passover and Easter, which seemed to us like the perfect time to go. We also wanted to make sure that we secured who we believe is the very best guide that anyone could ever have on a trip to the Holy Land: Erez B'Galil.  And we wanted to add some exciting components, provide our pilgrims with the opportunity to experience some of modern Israel , and have more opportunities for me to teach onsite, and offer learning opportunities that are catered to our particular group. Well, we did it.  All of those things fell into place, and Merideth and I will be getting the chance to lead another incredible trip to the Holy Land in April, 2015 and I'm offering a great opportunity to folks who would like to join me. Merideth and I are inviting our friends, family, church members or anyone who is interest...

The photo to the right was taken at the Gates of Hell. This was the ancient name of this massive cave at Caesarea Philippi where the Banias River began as a spring, flowing from its mouth. 3,000 years ago the ancient Canaanites believed this site to be mystical - a doorway into the afterlife.  They worshipped the god Baal here, particularly for fertility rites.  Their worship included depraved, sexual immorality, temple prostitution and child sacrifice.  Babies were laid upon the super-heated outstretched arms of the bronze statues of Baal where they were literally roasted alive.  And all of this was done to ensure a good harvest--the safety and security of the people. In the time of the ancient Greeks this same spot was considered holy and mystical and also a place where fertility was honored and prayed for fervently.  It was also a place that was believed to be the gateway to Hades.  Adherents engaged in sexual depravity, temple prostitution an...