Week 2 in Summary

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Excavation is in full swing! For pictures and updates about what we're finding and doing on-site, look at Shimron Excavations' Blog. It captures the atmosphere well!

Digging at Grid 92

Lunchtime at the Pottery Compound

This is our pit...where we threaten to put people who don't behave ;)

Last Saturday, rather than joining the volunteers for the guided tour, I ventured to Beat Shean and the Harod spring with four other staff members.


My traditional photo at Bett Shean

I had never visited the Herod Spring. Today it is a campground and picnic area, quite popular for Israeli families, and particularly for the kids who can play in the numerous pools filled by the spring. We visited, however, for historical significance of the spring. Judges 7 describes how God selected 300 men to fight with Gideon against the Midianites, based on how they drank from the Harod spring. Judges describes how the Midianites were camped near Mt. Moreh. It was great fun to see the fresh clear water springing straight from the rock, and seeing Mt. Moreh in the distance, I could picture the scene. How ominous it would have been for those 300 to go to war! First, 22,000 of their fellow soldiers voluntarily left the battle field because they were afraid, and then 9,700 were commanded not to join the battle. Can you imagine being one of those 300?! But God had commanded and selected these 300, so that Israel could not boast when he delivered the Midianites into their hand. It took faith, I'm sure, for Gideon to obey God's command not to bring all 32,000 of his troops to fight...when he had already been hesitant to fight in the first place (Judges 6). It is a beautiful story of how God is mighty, and he will glorify his name, although we must be obedient and trust him, and fear nothing! What an excitement and freedom to be fighting in the Lord's army!


The Harod Spring

The next day, we visited a baptist church in Nazareth. I loved hearing the Arabic worship songs. It reminds me of how beautiful the global church is...all over the world in so many languages, God is praised. The sermon was on Psalm 73, and how while we often cry "where is the justice!? There is no justice!" we must seek God to understand, and in the end, all justice will be served. A good message for all of us...but I am sure it was a particularly selected for the context of the Arab-Christian population.
An attractive alley in Nazareth


Looking for the Church in Nazareth Sunday Morning



Lunch after Church

We never figured out what a "Tabun with a brick" was....haha


Oh yes, and Happy Independence Day!
Coca-Cola on the 4th has become my tradition while away from the US, since 2014.


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