"Caesarea Maritime"

This place, whose very name smacks of everything Roman, was actually built by a Jew with Arabic background, and became an important place in the early Church. We really didn’t see anything Christian or Jewish in the ruins today, as every ruin screams of the Roman Empire. It is noteworthy that Herod the Great built this major port where natural harbor and water source did not exist. Both had to be forged out of nature. It turns out that Herod the Great had some Jewish background, was also of Arab descent; but grew up and was trained in Rome. To the Jew he was not the real thing, but to Rome he was Roman enough to be ruler over Palestine.

The amphitheater, hippodrome, palace, aqueduct and harbor ruins are impressive for what men 2000 years ago were able to accomplish. Very impressive indeed, and I am even pretty sure I took many pictures when we were there.

However, I can’t get out of my mind the irony that today Caesarea Maritime to the modern Israeli is known for its’ RUINS, wealthy neighborhoods and fancy golf course. GOLF? Golf in the area where Phillip ministered, where Paul was kept prisoner, where the Gospel of Matthew was translated into Greek from Hebrew, where in AD 198 an important council of early believers met …. GOLF? It is easy to see what time did to the port and who knows what time will do to a golf course, but out of the work of those early believers came something so lasting, so permanent, so enduring it is mind boggling: the Church. God is so faithful to His church and people Israel that 2000 years after Herod lived, built, and then died; and Rome as an empire is no more, the Church is greater than ever! The Gospel has been preached to all nations and to all but a few ethnic peoples over the word!

The sobering thought is that only 1.5% of all Israeli Jews believe Yeshua is the Messiah. There is still some critical work to be done in Israel. For this reason we go and support Israel; that all our Jewish brothers and sisters may come to believe in Yeshua as Messiah!


(Another mind bender: my pastor David Ray; a lover of Jesus and Jews, a few years ago played golf on the course at Caesarea Maritime! Chew on that for a while…a pastor…golf…where Paul was…where Rome killed believers…where a gospel was translated….where wealthy Israeli’s live….)

Jesus, don’t let me judge things by the ruins of the day; but rather by the power of your promises. Amen.