Flooding at Miletus in Turkey (Acts 20:38)

Mark Wilson of the Asia Minor Research Center in Antalya Turkey comments that due to heavy rains the site of Miletus, including the grounds of the new museum and the 600 year old Ilyasbey Islamic Complex.  This is due to the flooding of the Büyük Menderes River (the ancient Meander River).

The flooding of the South Agora
On the right (south) is the Ionic Stoa

The apostle Paul visited Miletus, modern Balat, at the end of his third missionary journey – about A.D. 57 (Acts 20:38).  From there he summoned the elders from the church at Ephesus, 28 mi. [45 km.] distant (as the crow flies), and after speaking to them – this is the major speech recorded on his third journey – they had a tearful parting as Paul headed for Jerusalem where he would be taken prisoner.  Miletus is also mentioned in 2 Timothy 4:20.

Ilyas Bey Islamic Complex = Mosque
At Miletus — Constructed 1404

Lion from the Bath of Faustina displayed on the grounds of the Museum at Miletus

To view, and/or download, 31 high resolution images of Miletus Click Here.
These images are for personal use and there is no cost
and no registration is necessary.

The Kishon River to Live Again

The Kishon River is well-known to readers of the Bible in conjunction with the stories of the prophets Deborah (Judges 5:21) and Elijah (1 Kings 18:40).

Due to pollution that began during the British Mandate and continued up until recent times, the Kishon River became so polluted that it was declared “dead.”  Israel 21c has an interesting article (“Kishon River: From poison to pristine“) on how the river is already making a “come back” and that more restoration is in store for the future.

View looking north, from Mount Carmel, down on the Kishon River, Helkath (?), the western end of the Jezreel Valley and the western end of Lower Galilee

Israel Defense Forces Web Site

Some of the readers (stumblers–on–to) of this “blog” might be interested in the Israeli Defense Forces web site.  It has some very interesting information on the current activities of the Israeli military.

Weather in Israel and the “Health” of the Kinneret (Sea of Galiee)

All of us who have traveled in Israel and the surrounding countries are well-aware of the importance of the winter rains for the well-being of the inhabitants of the area, local agriculture, and the water supply in general.

If you wish to “keep up” on how the Sea/Lake of Galilee (the Kinneret) is doing a “fun” place to go is the Kinneret Bot where the water levels of the lake are reported frequently (especially when it has been raining).

In addition, the Israel Meteorological Service maintains a web page (available in Hebrew and English) where current conditions and weather forecasts are available.  In the winter I find myself looking at the home page, the three day forecast, and also at the “Rain Forecast Maps.”  I the summer I tend to look at the “Heat Stress” tab under “Observations” (what is the HS at the Kinneret?  Masada?@#!).

These two sources may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I have found them interesting and thought some of you might as well.

Blockage of the Jordan

The story of the blockage of the Jordan, so that Israel could cross from Transjordan into the Land of Canaan, has always fascinated readers of the Bible (Joshua 3-4; especially 3:14). In commenting on this passage bible geographers often cite “modern” blockages of the Jordan due to earthquakes including ones in 1547, 1906, and 1927 (for 27 hours; Zondervan Atlas of the Bible p.61).

The earthquake of July 11, 1927. Jordan flow checked by caving in of the river banks. Trees thrown into midstream.
From Library of Congress Collection

On Friday, September 7, 2012 one of my favorite web sites, Israel’s History – a Picture a Day, posted five images of the devastation caused by the earthquake of 11 July 1927 — including a picture from the Matson collection showing the blockage of the Jordan!  According to their commentary

its epicenter [was] located in the northern Dead Sea area, [and] the towns of Jericho, Jerusalem, Nablus (Shechem) and Tiberias were badly hit.  An estimated 500 people were killed in those locations.  Today, scientists believe the magnitude of the quake was 6.25

To view additional images of the Jordan River Click Here and Here.

History of “Palestine/Eretz Yisrael” in Old Photographs!

I have spent over 15 years of my adult life in Israel but have always found it tricky to keep track of all the twists and turns of the history of the people of the land during the “modern period.”

Over the past few months I have followed a web site called “Israel’s History – a Picture a Day” and have found it a very enjoyable “bite size” way of learning the history of the land during this complex period.

The site has assembled old photos from the Library of Congress (USA) on a whole host of topics along with their descriptive commentary.  This I appreciate(!) for there is no way that I could take time to sort through all the photos in the Library of Congress and think about their significance.

IMHO these folk have provided a very valuable source of visual and textual information on the interaction of the Turks, Arabs, Brits, and Jews (etc.) in the Land!