1. Jerusalem Central to Three Major Religions (plus more there)
January Monthly Meeting
Holy Land Trip 2017
Religions 1 Early

2. the Three Major Religions
First – the Israelites, the Hebrew people, the Jewish religion
Then – Christians – Christ –ians (ones), Christianity as religion
Then – Muslims – persons following the teachings of Muhammed, the Islam religion

3. Before the “First” (before Judaism)
Tel Aviv is on the coast, 56 km south of Caesarea

4. Before Judaism Megiddo in the Jezreel Valley
From the early Bronze Age ( BCE) a cultic compound of several temples, a large round stone altar with seven steps leading to top.
25 levels of settlement spanning 3000 yrs

5. Before the First (before Judaism) and on through…
Megiddo:
Another temple/altar uncovered from the 9th C. BCE plus cultic objects
A Solomonic settlement there but size/dating not clear
Rebuilt in 8th C. BCE Israelites had a training site for chariots and use of horses
Shortly after that Megiddo area annexed to Assyria
Settlement shifted south in 4th C. BCE
But in 2nd C. CE seems a Roman legion stationed there
Excavations from 3rd C. CE revealed a settlement with a Christian prayer hall with an inscribed mosaic pavement
Because of language in the book of Revelation designated as the “Armageddon” for a metaphoric final battle

6. Before or During Judaism
Canaanites in Jerusalem before they were defeated
Joshua 10:8 (Joshua - leader the Israelites after Moses dies)
Canaanites Superiority
Building stone structures
Making metal tools, implements, weapons
Technical ability (Solomon used Canaanites to design and construct temple)
Religion of the Canaanites
Only what was in the Old Testament was known about the Canaanite religions until the 1928 discovery of clay tablets at a site that was the ancient Syrian city of Ugarit
What came to be known as the Ugaritic texts gave much information about religious life and more
Included a previously unknown North Semitic alphabet
Diplomatic, legal, economic, administrative, scholastic, literary and religious texts

7. Before the First (before Judaism)
From Tyndale Bible Dictionary:
Study of the polytheistic religion of the Canaanites has contributed much to our understanding of the religion of ancient Israel. The Hebrew theological and religious structures were given by God to a people who were influenced and affected by other religions. To appreciate the Israelites’ monotheistic religion fully that challenged their life and unity as a nation.
Contact among the many religions of the ancient Near East produced not only tension but also much syncretism or borrowing of concepts and practices.

8. Before the First (before Judaism)
From Tyndale Bible Dictionary:
Among all those peoples, however, the Hebrews took an independent course. Their God was the unique and cosmic deity who demanded exclusive allegiance. Such a concept ran against the grain of all the religions of the day.
Israelite morality (covenant laws at Mt. Sinai) was very different from cultic traditions of Canaanite life
Hebrew ethical monotheism was in many ways opposite to the polytheistic nature worship of Canaanite religion

9. Canaanites and Jews in the same land
Jewish religion weakening with assimilation
Elijah battles prophets of Baal & Asherah
17When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, "Is it you, you troubler of Israel?" 18He answered, "I have not troubled Israel; but you have, and your father's house, because you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and followed the Baals. 19Now therefore have all Israel assemble for me at Mount Carmel, with the four hundred fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table.” 20So Ahab sent to all the Israelites, and assembled the prophets at Mount Carmel. 21Elijah then came near to all the people, and said, "How long will you go limping with two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” Kings 18

10. Mt Carmel
Haifa
Tel Aviv

11. Mount Carmel
According to Jewish, Christian, Druze and Muslim belief, it is on the summit of Mount Carmel that the dramatic battle between Elijah and the prophets of Baal took place. Amid this struggle, the fire that rained down from the sky fell in this exact location. The battle's horrific end is described in 1 Kings 18:38-40