Dr. Julius Kim and Dr. Charles Telfer recently participated in an intense and highly educational Bible lands tour. With 42 others (including WSC at-large board member Ted Hamilton and Dr. Peter Jones) they traveled from “Dan to Beersheba” (Jud 20:1) and beyond.
Starting at Caesarea where Paul was imprisoned (Acts 25:4), they encircled most of biblical Canaan. From archeological remains at Megiddo, Dr. Telfer lectured on the 25 civilizations that were built on that site and the great battles that had taken place on the great Esdraelon plain stretched out below (Barak vs. Sisera, Gideon vs. Midianites, Josiah vs. Neco, etc). Crossing Lake Kinnereth (the 7×14 mile “Sea” of Galilee) by boat they were able to see the “gospel triangle” of cities where Jesus carried out much of his ministry (Matt 11:21-13). They visited the synagogues at Magdala (newly-excavated) and Capernaum where Jesus preached, and standing a few hundred feet from where he healed Peter’s mother-in-law (Matt 8:14), Dr. Kim had the opportunity to preach on the Bread of Life discourse (John 6). They explored Beth-Shan (where Saul and Jonathan’s bodies were pinned to the wall in ancient times (1 Sam 31:12), and where Dr. Telfer had participated in an archeological dig. They spent a number of days in the Jerusalem area, including a wet walk through the water tunnel Hezekiah built to bring water into the city before the Assyrian siege (2 Ki 20:20) and a visit to the Temple Mount built by Herod.
A highlight of the trip was meeting fellow Christians (from both Arab and Jewish backgrounds) and worshipping at the Messianic congregation pastured by WSC alum David Zadok where Dr. Kim gave the message (translated into Hebrew and Russian). The group got some sense of the modern political tensions surrounding the land at this time, including a expert introduction to various groups fighting in Syria (from the safety of a bunker 1 mile from the border in the Golan heights).
Following David’s footsteps along the Dead Sea, they enjoyed Engedi as well as Masada and Qumran (where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered). The final days included a visit to Eilat/Aqaba on the Red Sea (where Solomon built his fleet of trading ships (1 Ki 9:26), a drive up the “king’s highway” (Nu 20:17) in Jordan, and visits to Petra (cf. Obad. 3-4) and Mt. Nebo (Deut 32:49-50—where Moses died), before returning to Israel. Both professors hope one day WSC will be able to offer a student/alumni/friends Bible lands tour!
Dr. Kim preaching at the worship service of Grace & Truth Congregation, with WSC alumnus David Zadok translating
Dr. Julius J. Kim preaching in Capernaum, on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee
