February 27, 2000. On Sunday, IBEX went on a day-long archaeological dig that was awesome!

Most digs require slow, methodical, gentle digging techniques that take months, even years to complete. However, we took part in a project that was much less painstaking. Rather than excavating a tel, or something like that, we were actually underground, in a cave system along the Shephelah (lowlands) which dates back to the Hasmonean period (second century BC). There are literally thousands of caves throughout this region.

Our job was simply to clear out debris: lots of rocks, dirt, and a plethora of pottery. These caves were originally dug beneath local homes, like basements, to contain cisterns, baths, pigeon columbariums (where they raised pigeons for sacrificial purposes), and other interesting things. After the second Jewish revolt, however, the underground systems were filled in with whatever junk the locals could get their hands on. So now, it’s basically a treasure hunt to excavate these caves; they’re chock-full of interesting finds.

I personally found a whole jug handle and a pottery rim, while another girl found a bronze bracelet, and someone else found an ancient mug/cup almost completely intact! Other caves in the area average twenty feet high, but we were in a largely unexcavated cave, so the ceiling was still only 4-5 feet overhead. Even as the day progressed, more tunnels and storage rooms became apparent below us.

After our work was done, some of us curiously crawled through one of the side-tunnels, to see what was beyond. Surprisingly, it led to a staircase that took us to a room below. This far down, there was no dirt or rock to contend with, so we were free to look around. What I saw was simply incredible: a large vault with several connecting tunnels, and in the middle, a millstone and olive press dating back 2000 years!

No longer was I Stephen Jones, but Indiana Jones. I took one step toward the olive press to examine it closer, only to realize the floor was unfinished. Next thing I knew, I was plummeting downward into a dark pit! I reached my arm out to grasp a protruding rock, but it, too, gave way by the sheer force of my momentum. Seconds later (though it seemed like an eternity), I slammed against the floor of the cave, pausing a moment to regain my senses. As I peered up out of the abyss, I could only faintly see the rays of my friends’ flashlights overhead. It looked like I was at least 20 feet below the rest of my group! I mustered enough strength to yell out, but suddenly felt something slither across my hand…

Okay. I admit. That last paragraph was completely made up. Everything I said up to the olive press and millstone was true, but I got a little carried away at that point. Don’t worry! Everything’s fine! I didn’t fall, nor was I bitten by that imaginary snake! Really, no embellishment is necessary to communicate how cool this underground vault was.

Unfortunately, it was time for lunch, and the group was calling us back out, so we weren’t able to go any further into the adjoining tunnels. I heard that some others went, though, and that it took nearly an hour to navigate all of them!

After lunch, the whole group was taken through some fully excavated caves that contained vaults, baths, staircases and a millstone similar to what we saw.

25 years ago, I had the privilege of traveling to Israel for a semester through the Master’s College IBEX program. To celebrate the 25th anniversary, I’m sharing highlights from my journal, emails, and photos. Feel free to share your own IBEX memories here as well!

Over the last month, I’ve been meeting with some friends and going through Christianity Explored. It’s an evangelistic Bible study that takes the reader through the Gospel of Mark to examine the claims of Jesus.

Tonight, we came to the topic of the cross. Mark 10:45 says that Jesus gave his life as a “ransom” for many. We discussed what this means, and how Christ was our substitute, taking God’s punishment on himself for our sin. I asked if they now believe this, and they said yes!

One of them testified “Jesus must be on the cross to show his power.” The other said with amazement, “It is so beautiful.” I explained there are several reasons God chose the cross as the place of sacrifice. First, it was a painful way to die, which illustrated the horror of suffering for sin. Second, it was a public way to die, which made it impossible to deny he had been executed. It was the talk of the town, and everyone knew what had happened (Luke 24:18; Acts 26:26). Third, the Jews considered it a curse to hang on a tree, and this was fitting for the one who would be our curse-bearer (Deuteronomy 21:23; Galatians 3:13).

This family has been devouring the Bible over the last several weeks. One of them has already finished reading the entire Bible and is now going back through to review it again! They are living testimony to the words of Jesus, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied” (Matthew 5:6)

February 24, 2000. While our Jerusalem Approaches and Hebron trips were the most rigorous so far, our Samaria Trip was the longest. We left the moshav at 8am and didn’t return until 6:30 this evening — a tiring ten and a half hours!

First, we stopped near the ancient cities of Bethel and Ai. Overlooking the hillside, we considered a few different routes Joshua might have taken when he ambushed the city of Ai. There wasn’t a whole lot to see, though, because we don’t know for sure where Bethel or Ai rest today. Different portions of the area have been excavated, revealing ruins dating to the Israelite conquest, but we’re not exactly sure where those cities were.

What other events took place at Bethel? Well, Abram & Lot separated here (Gen. 13), Jacob had his famous dream (Gen. 28), Deborah ruled here (Judges 4), the Israelites stopped here before attacking Benjamin (Judges 20:18ff), Samuel ministered here (1 Sam. 7), Jereboam set up a golden calf here after breaking away from the Southern Kingdom (1 Kings 12:25ff), Elijah and Elisha travelled through here (2 Kings 2), Josiah crushed the altar & high place (2 Kings 23:15f), and the area was resettled after the Babylonian captivity (Neh. 7:32), to name just a few. To be honest, it’s one of the all-time most important areas to understand in the Bible.

Amazingly enough, the day only got better. Tel Shiloh was our next destination, a little further north along the “Road of the Patriarchs” in the hill country. We climbed the small Tel, and were able to estimate within a few feet of where the tabernacle once rested. Here, Samuel served under Eli the priest.

Later on, the Jews cleverly thought they could take the Ark of the Covenant into battle against the Philistines as a “good luck charm.” Needless to say, God was not impressed, and He allowed the Ark to be stolen in battle. Soon after, the city of Shiloh was decimated.

Centuries later, the people of Judah would recall that disgraceful event when the prophet Jeremiah warned, “But go now to My place which was in Shiloh, where I made My name dwell at the first, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of My people Israel…therefore, I will do to the house which is called by My name, in which you trust, and to the place which I gave you and your fathers, as I did to Shiloh” (Jer 8:12,14). Shortly after this prophecy, God fulfilled His promise. The Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and took the Jews into captivity.

At Shiloh, we also re-enacted the scene from Judges 21, when, at the annual feast, the Israelite women danced around, and each Benjamite man snagged the woman of his choice (don’t worry Natalie, I didn’t take part in this one!).

Shechem, just a short distance north of Shiloh, was our next destination. I was immediately impressed by how beautiful the Samarian region was! The lush, sprawling valleys were a stark contrast to the barren Judean Hill Country we had seen before.

Shechem was the first capital of the Northern Kingdom, established by King Jeroboam. It was a fertile area, with good communication routes both to the east and west. But Jereboam had another motive for choosing this site: it had a rich heritage that would help unite the newly-formed Northern Kingdom.

Abram first stayed here after entering the promised land, Jacob and Joshua both passed through here, and after the captivity, Joshua reconfirmed the Mosaic covenant at the same site (Josh 8:30f).

Standing atop the ancient ruins of Shechem 3500 years later, the forty of us followed Joshua’s example by reading the covenant in Deuteronomy 27 & 28. Splitting into two groups, half of us stood to the north, on the side of Mt. Ebal, to read the curses. The other half of the group stood to the south, along Mt. Gerizim, reading the blessings for obedience.

While at Shechem, we also saw what is believed to be the original Jacob’s well where Jesus received water from the Samaritan woman! (Gen 33 & John 4) No one knows for sure, but, amazingly, it might date to that period of history.

After Shechem, we proceeded to the city of Samaria. Samaria was the third and final capital of the Northern Kingdom, but by New Testament times the name eventually came to describe the entire region. The city itself rests high upon a hill, overlooking valleys on every side.

Even the Mediterranean Sea could be spotted, way off to the west. We looked around the hilltop for a little while, and then, just when I thought I’d enjoyed a full day without hearing the name “Herod the Great,” he showed up again. That malicious monarch, that repulsive ruler, that pathetic potentate, left his handiwork just about everywhere in Israel! Here, we saw the remains of a temple he built to honor Caesar Augustus (which tells you how much Herod really cared about Judaism when He built the temple in Jerusalem!).

Travelling westward by late afternoon, our last stop for the day was Aphek/Antipatris. This city has always been located at the source of the river Yarkon, which flows some ten miles west until it spills into the Mediterranean.

Aphek resides in a vital position, for any invaders travelling northward (eg. Philistines or Egyptians) are forced to converge at this spot. Remember, they didn’t have bridges in antiquity, so any soldiers travelling north along the coastal lowlands had to bend inland to avoid the mighty Yarkon gorge. For centuries, defenders of this territory (such as the Israelites) fortified the base of the River to obstruct unwanted aggressors. Even today, there are remnants of a Turkish fortress that we were able to climb around.

25 years ago, I had the privilege of traveling to Israel for a semester through the Master’s College IBEX program. To celebrate the 25th anniversary, I’m sharing highlights from my journal, emails, and photos. Feel free to share your own IBEX memories here as well!

February 19, 2000. Saturday, after Sabbath Service at Jerusalem Assembly, we headed back out for another field trip. This day proved to be the most rigorous so far. We did a lot of hiking, climbing, and looking at rocks.

First we climbed Tel Ziph, overlooking the wilderness where David eluded Saul’s angry pursuit. Then we went a little further south to the towering Tel Maon. Do you recognize this name? Probably not. I didn’t either. But in fact, it was the area where Nabal & Abigail lived.

Nabal was a selfish shepherd, but his wife, Abigail, was a righteous and humble woman who provided David and his men with some much needed supplies during his days as a fugitive. Eventually, Abigail became one of David’s wives (1 Samuel 25).

A good portion of our day was spent in Tel Hebron. Every time you hear the word “Tel,” you can interpret that as “steep climb.” Abraham spent a lot of time in Hebron, and David later reigned from this city for seven years, before moving his capital to Jerusalem (2 Sam. 5:5).

When Abraham’s wife Sarah died, he purchased a plot of land for a tomb near Hebron. Genesis 23:17-20 says, “So the field of Ephron in Machpelah, which was to the east of Mamre, the field with the cave that was in it and all the trees that were in the field, throughout its whole area, was made over to Abraham as a possession in the presence of the Hittites, before all who went in at the gate of his city. After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah east of Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. The field and the cave that is in it were made over to Abraham as property for a burying place by the Hittites.”

Today, there is a unique site shared by both Jews & Muslims (since Abraham is revered by both religions). Half the area is synagogue, and the other half is mosque. It rests directly above what is believed to be the ancient cave of Machpelah. And there’s actually a good chance this is the right place!

Mid afternoon, we entered the mosque, taking off our shoes and walking around on soft carpets that covered the floor. Within the mosque were monuments to Isaac and Rebekah, and if it hadn’t been Sabbath, we could’ve also visited the Jewish side, which has monuments to Abraham, Sarah, Leah, and Jacob. These monuments don’t contain the bodies, however; the actual tombs dating to the Middle Bronze Age are located far below.

This part of the West Bank can be politically unstable, and we were told it was a privilege to visit. Half the group continued on a camping trip to the Cave of Adullam as part of their History of Ancient Israel Class. The rest of us headed back to the Moshav, a hot meal, and the comfort of our own beds.

25 years ago, I had the privilege of traveling to Israel for a semester through the Master’s College IBEX program. To celebrate the 25th anniversary, I’m sharing highlights from my journal, emails, and photos. Feel free to share your own IBEX memories here as well!