And many nations shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that He may teach us His ways and that we may walk in His paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. Micah 4:2
It has been said that once you visit Israel, you will never be the same. Virtually everyone who returns from a trip to Israel confirms the truth of that statement.
From the moment you step off the plane onto Israeli soil, you can sense that there is something special and holy about this land. There is a sense of spiritual anticipation as you consider what you are about to see and experience. A visit to the Land of the Bible is truly transformational. You will never be the same…
Traveling through this Holy Land will deepen your relationship with God. However, studying the scriptures as you visit biblical sites will challenge perceptions and change the way you read your Bible. Many have said that the Bible comes alive once you walk in the footsteps of Jesus, the Prophets, and the Apostles.
Having a tour host or tour guide who opens the Word of God at each biblical site offers scriptural context beyond mere archaeological or historical facts. Combining history with Jewish culture and biblical teaching produces life-changing insights that ignites spiritual growth and understanding. For example:
Caesarea Maritima was a large Herodian port city with all the amenities a large city of the time had to offer. But it was also where Peter first shared the Gospel with Gentiles in the house of Cornelius (Acts 10)—and it was the city where Paul was imprisoned and testified about his faith before Governor Festus, Governor Felix, King Festus, and his sister Bernice (Acts 25-26).
Caesarea Philippi was a pagan city with a temple to Pan cut into tall rocks. This was the backdrop for Jesus to tell the disciples that the church was to be built upon the Rock, Jesus himself. Imagine the disciples’ reaction to this holy aha moment. Context makes all the difference!
Experiencing Israel like this allows the Scripture to come in full color with profound clarity and dimension. Understanding the culture, history, and geography makes your faith more tangible.
More than anywhere else in the world, Israel is the place where documented biblical and historic events come to life. Using the Bible as a contextual map ensures you will never read scripture the same way.
You can also derive more from your Holy Land tour if you invest some time preparing prior to your trip. Start by learning the basic Israel geography with a Bible Atlas. To begin with, while the geography of Israel is very diverse, Israel can be broken into four basic regions:
• The Coastal Plain (along the Mediterranean Sea)
• The Central Hills (includes Upper and Lower Galilee)
• Jordan Rift Valley (originates in Caesarea Philippi, continues through the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea, and on to the Gulf of Eilat)
• Negev Desert (wilderness region covering most of southern Israel)
Next, you may want to learn about Jerusalem, made up of hills and valleys, with Mount Moriah at the center; or the Old City, which is divided into four quarters: Jewish, Christian, Arab, and Armenian.
The more you learn about Israel before visiting the Holy Land, the richer your actual experience will be. You can also maximize your time in the Holy Land by beginning with devotionals prior to your journey. Spend time in prayer prior to your tour and ask God to give you spiritual insight and clarity of what you see and experience.
Summary
A visit to Israel will deepen your faith and enlighten your understanding of the Word of God. With the Bible in hand, you will find the Land of the Bible brings the stories of the Scriptures to life. There is truly no other place like Israel. Once you visit Israel, you will never be the same!
Sar-El Tours has the time-tested experience and knowledge to help you plan the journey of a lifetime. With over 25 years of experience, Sar-El Tours has become one of the largest and most-trusted agencies focused on Christian tourism to Israel. Sar-El provides over 300 highly knowledgeable, licensed Israeli tour guides who work with you to ensure your trip to Israel is outstanding from beginning to end. Visiting Israel is a life-changing experience—let Sar-El Tours be your partner in Israel.