From Acre we drove to Beth-Shearim a most interesting place, which has only been uncovered in the last three years. It is the catacombs of the Rabbis. How anyone could have discovered it I shall never know. There was nothing to indicate that a burial ground existed, not even a projecting stone, but simply a hill covered with the usual growth of grass.
As we approached the excavation we saw the large stone entrance to the tombs. The original stone doors had been removed and were lying on the ground in front of the entrance. The unique way in which the doors swung was a tribute to the stone masons of that day, there was no metal used. As we entered the tomb the first sight was breath-taking, we saw the sarcophagus of the Rabbi Gamaliel at whose feet the beloved brother Paul sat. It was a heavy stone coffin with the name Gamaliel carved in deep letters, also some letters giving dates, etc.
At the side of Gamaliel in separate coffins of stone were his daughter aged 22 and son aged 9. We saw many other stone coffins, bones and skeletons of the Sanhedrin. This particular catacomb was for the Sanhedrin only and members of their families.
You might look at Acts 15:34, also Acts 22:3. Adjoining the sepulchers of the Sanhedrin are the tombs of the Rabbis, who lived contemporaneous with Gamaliel.
As we journeyed to Haifa we passed hot springs and crossing the brook Kishon it brought back memories of my Sunday School days. See 1 Kings 18:40. It may sound tragic to say 450 men, but God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he reap.
We drove up to the top of Mt. Carmel near the reputed place of Elijah’s encounter with the priests of Baal.
This place was pointed out to us and we were amused when our guide told us that likely the altar that Elijah built was made of unslaked lime and when he poured water on it started to boil and so the sacrifice was consumed. How incredulous can some people get, they will accept any theory but they refuse to accept the written word of God.
Haifa is built on the slope of the Carmel range. It is one of the gems of the Mediterranean, a beautiful city, clean, modern and well kept. From the top of Mt. Carmel you can look down on the city and the now splendid haven for ships that Jacob in speaking of the last days, forsaw. Gen. 49:1-13.
Close by in full view are the great oil refineries in the portion given to Asher no doubt. Moses forsaw this for in Deut. 34:24, he saw an abundance of oil in Asher.
We visited the very modern buildings of the Techinon, an advanced technical school. One of the professors acted as our guide and gave us an outline of their studies. The hotels are of the very best, hospitable and gracious. The visitor is very loth to leave Haifa.
We shall never forget our final meeting with our Jewish companions on the tour. A farewell dinner was planned at the Hotel Ben-Yehuda, everyone who had a part in the trip was present including the taxi drivers who had stayed with us for eighteen days.
I had the pleasure of saying a few words, I explained that we had been Zionists for many years, that Christadelphians continually pray for the peace of Jerusalem and in the words of their own prophet I hoped that the Lord would bless them and grant them peace.
The response was profound, to think that Gentiles like us would wish them peace. In fact there were tears in many eyes at the close of my remarks, and comments afterwards that they had never heard such kind words from Gentiles before. The farewells consisted of “you will come back again.”
Space prohibits me from telling you about our visits to several Kibbutz, (these are the communal farm settlements in Israel), of the meetings with Ambassadors from nearly every country, of the reputed place where Uzzah fell but not the Ark, of the details surrounding Esdraelon (Armageddon), of the 50,000 Yemenite Jews who flew from Yemen on the magic carpet (about whose beautiful handicraft we have already spoken).
The visible hand of God is evident in Israel, and to you all my dear brethren and sisters I hope that ere long we shall all be in-chided in the multitude who shall cry out and shout thou inhabitant of Zion for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of Thee.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One