Tarsus is, as Paul says, “no mean city” (not an insignificant or undistinguished city; it is well-known), Acts 21:39. Paul was right. The city’s history is like reading a “Who’s Who” of world leaders throughout the ages.

An important inscription is now located near the remains of the west gate into the city. It states that Tarsus is a “free city.” Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius Severus Alexander, who ruled from 222 to 235 AD, is credited in the inscription for granting “special responsibilities” and “many special privileges” to “Tarsus.” Mark Antony made Tarsus a free Roman city in 41 BC. Caesar Augustus restored this freedom in 19 BC because one of his teachers was from Tarsus. Alexander the Great made Tarsus a free Greek city in 333 BC.

What did it mean to the citizens to be a “free city”? In the Roman Period to be a “free city” meant all of the tax burdens imposed on a people to fund Rome’s insatiable drive to control the masses and expand the Empire and its amenities were eliminated. Free cities enjoyed good commerce, strong protection, and more opportunities for education and advancement.

“No mean city.” That probably wouldn’t make the short list for a city slogan today. But this is where Paul was born, grew up, and worked. Think with me for a moment. If Paul was ethnically Jewish, then why was he born outside the Promised Land? While you ponder that question, I’ll ask two more. Why was there a colony of Jews in a pagan city like Tarsus? How many generations had Paul’s ancestors lived in Tarsus before his birth?

Wandering among the ruins, I thought about how different Tarsus is from the town where Jesus grew up, Nazareth. Tarsus is geographically in a coastal plain, with river access to Mediterranean Sea. Nazareth is “landlocked” in the hill county. Tarsus was at the convergence of four significant roads. Nazareth was out of the way. Tarsus was “white-collar,” commercial, book-smart, lavish, and global. Nazareth was “blue-collar,” agricultural, street-smart, frugal, and segregated. Tarsus was a Roman “free city” (the citizens did not pay taxes to Rome). Under Rome’s dominion in the first century, Nazareth was taxed.
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Yet both cities were used by God. One would be used in preparing the way for the Savior. The other would, unknowingly, help prepare a local boy that once played on its streets, crawled through its sewers, and threw rocks in its well become the man who would proclaim the Savior’s message to the known world.

Do you think God gives this much attention to each and every one of us, including the demeanor of a city?

The Church at Antioch-on-the-Orontes in the first century has a rich history. Why did Antioch grow out of Jerusalem’s shadow as a significant center for the Church? (Acts 11:19-30; 13:1-3). The simple and most obvious answer is “God.”

Too simple? The answer begins long before the first century. Just as God had been preparing “for the fulness of time” through powerful Empires (the Persians, Alexander the Great, Greece, and Rome), He was also preparing to take the Gospel “to the end of the world.” About three hundred years before Jesus Christ was born, Seleucus I Nicantor founded a community (Seleucia Pieria) three hundred miles north of Jerusalem on the coast of what would become Syria.

Who? That’s my point. People with power are merely pawns in God’s hand. But since you asked. Seleucus was one of four generals under Alexander the Great. After Alexander’s death dividing his empire also divided the loyalties of the four generals. Antigonus (another general) established his capital a few miles from present day Antakya. Seleucia Pieria, where Seleucus settled, was only twenty miles from Antigonus’ capital. Now add a few years of pushing, name calling, animosity, and fighting between the generals until Seleucus defeats Antigonus at the Battle of Ipsus in 301 BC. Almost as an “in your face” memorial for his victory (thus the surname “Nicanor” which comes from “nike”), Seleucus established Antioch (so named to honor his father, Antiochus I).

This (tongue-in-cheek) “glorious” beginning had three hundred years to become a prestigious jewel of fine culture and high society. But it didn’t. Merrill Unger calls Daphne, one of Antioch’s suburbs, “the playground of license and pleasure for the dissolute city.” From within the midst of all that debauchery and wickedness look what Jesus Christ did there with those who believed in the “simple” answer.

?“And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch” (Acts 11:26). “As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away” (Acts 13:2-3).

“God, Jesus Christ” the “simple” answer continues to be the “best” answer 2000 years later.

If you have already received this note, pardon my repetition.

We arrived back in Los Angeles a little ahead of schedule Sunday, January 17, 2010. I came home with a head cold that started our last evening in Israel, so I was not in church Sunday morning. I felt enough better by the evening to enjoy that service. For me, the best way I’ve found to beat jet-lag is to immediately adjust to the local time zone. I slept some on the plane but did not go to bed at home until Sunday evening. That made for a very long day. I want to express again to you my gratefulness for your prayer for us as we traveled. Thank you.

Thank You, to the Lord, for His goodness and protection in our travels to Israel this past month. Thank you, to the church, for allowing us the time to return to the Holy Land with the students at Talbot. Thank you, to Byron and Robyn Siemsen, for presenting a first hard report of your ministry in inner-city Los Angeles last Sunday evening. Thank you, to Armon and Elona Siemsen, for their admirable leadership, preaching, instrumentation, singing, and all around loving our church fellowship during our time of absence.

The last three days we were at the Sea of Galilee—no, you don’t understand. Our hotel, an Israeli kibbutz, is right on the water’s edge of the Sea of Galilee. I got up about 5:15 AM each of those mornings, cleaned up, walked 1/4 mile to the beach, and was on the shore by 5:45 AM for my morning constitutional. There must be something about the extra oxygen in the air at 700 feet below sea level that adds a bounce to your get-up-and-go. I didn’t have to be anywhere until 7:00 AM (breakfast).

As the dawn began her overture, the usual fog and low clouds lifted early so the lights of Tiberias were visible (the kibbutz property was part of Syria before 1967). The frogs that were croaking in triumphant unison the night before diminished to silence. The shoreline was a ghost town. The wind was stilled. With the sun’s first rays, the small fishing boats were again safely docked, having already completed their day’s work. The rhythmic cadence of the water had a tranquilizing effect.

For a moment today I watched a small bird dive into the lake like a cannonball, then come up a second later with something in its beak. The bird was close enough (25 feet?) that I could see the first few flaps of its wings straining to gain altitude, then circle before flying away. I was fortunate to have witnessed this show of nature.

However, the best was yet to come! While it was dark, I waited with whispered prayer until about 6:15 AM for sufficient light to read the God’s Word right there in a beach chair on the Sea of Galilee. Could there be anything better than this? I leave you today with the verses that were impressed on my mind and heart along the shore of the Sea of Galilee.

“Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee” (Psalm 73:24-25).

“The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God” (Psalm 14:1).

“Arise, O God, plead thine own cause: remember how the foolish man reproacheth [reviles or taunts] thee daily” (Psalm 74:22).

“A scorner [scoffer] seeketh wisdom and findeth it not: but knowledge is easy unto him that understandeth” (Proverbs 14:6).

“My flesh trembleth for feat of thee; and I am afraid of thy judgments” (Psalm 119:120).

“He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; but he that hateth gifts shall live” (Proverbs 15:27).

Chorazin is mentioned once in the New Testament in a word of warning from Jesus. Chorazin was only two miles from Capernaum (home base for Jesus’ ministry).

“Then began he to rebuke the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not. ‘Woe unto thee, Chorazin!…for if the mighty works, which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.’ But I say unto you, ‘It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment than for you.’” (Matthew 11:20-22).

In the archaeological remains of Chorazin a synagogue was found. Dating the synagogue has been difficult. Some contend for 2nd or 3rd century A.D., while others lean toward 4th or 5th century A.D. Whatever date is true, this much we can agree on, these synagogue remains are well after the time of Jesus and His solemn warning.

In this synagogue the use of images carved into the basalt stones was uncovered. One image is clearly a symbol of Medusa. An explanatory sign reads, “In Greek mythology, Medusa was one of the three Gorgons. Whoever dared to look her in the face was instantly turned to stone. Perseus (averting his eyes) succeeded in killing her, and from her flowing blood emanated the winged horse, Pegasus.”

Why would Greek mythology be represented in a building to worship the God of the Bible? One explanation is that the people accommodated and welcomed various beliefs without regard for determining the truth. Syncretism is the combining, in this instance, of different religious doctrines practices into one belief system.

In the 1st century A.D., the people of Chorazin were privileged to observe many of Jesus Christ’s deeds and hear the words which would set them free. But, according to Jesus, they did not respond to Him in faith. The archaeological remains suggest that up to five centuries later—think about that—up to double the time the United States has existed, Chorazin, with evidence of their practice, was still rejecting Jesus Christ as the only way of salvation.

While we are not exempt from being like the people of Chorazin, we are most vulnerable when we refuse to yield to the authority of God’s Word in what we believe to be the truth and how we act upon that truth.

Rutted rock roads. Broken stone walls. Gutted block buildings. Do you sense a theme developing? When everything is sorted out, the roads, walls, and buildings were not constructed simultaneously. If I got all of my facts correct, in the photo, the building and fortress walls are from the Turkish Period (1517—1918 AD), and the road dates to the Roman Period (63 BC—326 AD).

Of most importance to our study of the Biblical account is the Roman road. That road was there in Antipatris (Old Testament Aphek) when Paul was transported from Jerusalem to Caesarea under protection by the State (Acts 23:31). This was the first step in Paul’s government financed journey to Rome.

Do you think Paul completely understood what God was doing then? Probably not. God used every available means to get Paul to Rome (where he could preach the Gospel). Think about it for a moment. Who and what was involved in getting Paul from Jerusalem to Antipatris? My list is incomplete. Surveyors. Geologists. Engineers. Money. Architects. Stone masons. Carpenters. A lot of time. Roads. The right time. Conspiracy theory. Nephew. Detectives. Secret Agents. Homeland Security. Taxes. Governor. Secretary. Traveling documents. Captains. Soldiers. Orders. Chariot makers and mechanics. Charioteers. Animal trainers. Animals. Supply coordinators. Chefs. Guides. Just in time. What about the way history unfolded before Herod the Great rebuilt Aphek and renamed it after his father Antipatris? All this to move one man less than fifty miles? Mind-boggling doesn’t begin to scratch the surface.

Do we completely understand what God is doing now? Definitely not. I suppose that alone should give us some comfort in these uncertain times. However, we can be confident of this: God is going to accomplish His will. Except in a few instances, God is going to use all that He has allowed man to create and regulate, whether we want Him to do so, or not.

We’ve seen a lot of desert this week. The Mahktesh Ramon has been compared to the Grand Canyon but the similarities are few. Mahktesh Ramon is a huge crater that continues to be formed by erosion. It is vast. It is deep. It is dry. It is barren. It was used by God in judgment on the Israelites for not obeying Him as they were instructed.

This desert is depressing. While “wandering” during a period of forty years in the wilderness region of Israel, everyone older than twenty years died, except Joshua and Caleb. With modest calculations and each day being equal, this judgment amounts to more than one-hundred burials every day. That is difficult to fathom. Participating in just two funeral services once in the same week was numbing. I can’t imagine far more on a daily basis. Each morning those who awoke would wonder who among family and friends would die that day. The graves scattered all over the wilderness region were a continual reminder of their faithlessness and God’s severity.

The Israelites saw and experienced God’s redemption from slavery in Egypt. The wilderness wandering was not God’s original plan for Israel after they were set-free from bondage. He had a land ready for their possession. But as a redeemed people they rebelled against God and were severely disciplined.

By comparison, those who believe on Jesus Christ have received redemption from Him that forgives sin and restores each one in a right relationship with the Father. Yet, for the Christian, is the desert, like the wilderness wanderings experienced by Israel, supposed to be normal?

The desert is often demanding.