Israel – Dalton Williams

A Warning of Two Ports: Dor and Caesarea

Mar 11, 2022daltonwilliams114Israel, Jerusalem University College, Travels, UncategorizedCaesarea, Caesarea Maritima, Dor, Herod, Israel

I had a chance this weekend to visit two of the most important port cities in the History of Israel, the first is Dor, and the second is Caesarea. Dor was one of the only natural seaside harbors in the ancient land of Israel. The Philistine cities of Gaza, Ashdod, and Ashkelon were tucked a…

The Blind and the Lame

Feb 16, 2022daltonwilliams1143 CommentsIsrael, Jerusalem University College, TravelsBible, David, Healing, Jerusalem, Jesus

I was standing amongst the ruins and remains of the Davidson Archeological Park, on the southern side of the Temple Mount, reading the teachings of Jesus that, according to the Gospels, he gave while in Jerusalem, on and around the Temple. As I sat on the southern steps, perhaps on the very steps Jesus once…

Enemies Under Your Feet: The Northern Reaches

Nov 17, 2021daltonwilliams1142 CommentsIsrael, Jerusalem University College, TravelsBible, Caesarea Philippi, Dan, Golan Heights, Jesus, Mount Hermon

The northern area of Israel contains some of the most interesting historical and biblical sites, from the ancient gates of Dan, to the mountain springs of Caesarea Philippi, to the volcanic remains of the Bashan. These sites stand out not only for the places where the Biblical account intersects with history, but also for the…

Wars, Saviors, and the End of the World?

Nov 14, 2021daltonwilliams1141 CommentIsrael, Jerusalem University College, TravelsBeth Sean, Bible, Jesus, Megiddo, Nazareth

In a land full of mountains and deserts, the Jezreel valley sits almost defiantly. This massive valley is, in contrast to much of the rest of Israel, flat and fertile. It is a natural place for agriculture, travel, and trade. In other words, all the major kingdoms wanted to control it, which leads it to…

Carmel and Caesarea- Where God Moves Among Pagans

Nov 8, 2021daltonwilliams114Israel, Jerusalem University College, TravelsBible, Caesarea, Elijah, Mount Carmel

The Bible does not shy away from the fact that, through much of Israel’s history, many of the people living in the land were pagans. Throughout the bulk of the Old Testament, the people of Israel and Judah often worshipped other gods, forsaking the one true God of Israel. Many of the prophets of the…

The Desert and the Dead Sea

Nov 3, 2021daltonwilliams114Israel, Jerusalem University College, TravelsBible, David, Ein Gedi, Masada, Qumran

The Places where Faith was Lived Out to the Extreme The area around the Dead Sea is the lowest place on earth. It is also one of the driest places on earth. The edge of this land is a series of cliffs standing well over 1000 feet over the base of the valley where the…

Patience in Promises: Journeys in the Wilderness

Oct 18, 2021daltonwilliams1143 CommentsIsrael, Jerusalem University College, TravelsAbraham, Bible, Genesis, Wilderness

Historically, the southern edge of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah was the city of Beer Sheba. This city located at the edge of the southern desert was one of the last places in the land that had enough water to sustain a permanent settlement. That said, for much of the year, the only available…

The Lowlands: Where Legends are Made

Oct 13, 2021daltonwilliams1142 CommentsIsrael, Jerusalem University College, TravelsAzekah, Beit Shemesh, Bible, David, Goliath, Lachish, Samson

Just west of the Hill Country of Judah there is a stretch of lower hills and wide valleys that often became a major point of entry for merchants, traveler’s and invading armies, such as Philistines on the Coastal Plain, and the larger kingdoms of Egypt, Assyria, and Babylon. These lowlands, Shephelah in Hebrew, held the…

Choose this Day: Lessons from the Kings of Israel

Sep 27, 2021daltonwilliams1142 CommentsIsrael, Jerusalem University College, Travels, UncategorizedBible, Israel, Joshua, Shiloh, Tabernacle

“. . . Choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15 Towards the end of the book of Joshua,…

Joshua, Jordan, Jericho, and the Day the Sun Stood Still

Sep 19, 2021daltonwilliams1141 CommentIsrael, Jerusalem University College, TravelsBible, Gibeon, Israel, Jericho, Jesus, Jordan River, Joshua

The Book of Joshua details the Israelites conquest and inheritance of the Promised Land. It begins on the shores of the Jordan River, and in chapter three, Joshua has the preists lead the Israelites across the Jordan, with a miracle that echoes the crossing of the Red Sea, and Israelites cross the Jordan on dry…