Next April, Lord willing, I will be leading a group from our church on an 11 day visit to the Holy Land. As I prepare for that trip I've come across a book that I'm sure will be my "go to" resource.
"The Holy Land for Christian Travelers," is authored by John A Beck. Beck is a Hebrew and Old Testament scholar who teaches at a college in Jerusalem. Additionally, Beck has taught field studies in Israel, Jordan and Egypt. He has regularly led tours throughout the Holy Land. If you want an expert to be your guide then Beck is your man.
Beck writes in the Introduction: "And you will become more at home in your Bible as you travel the promised land." As Beck properly notes, a trip to Israel is not just sight-seeing; it is all about seeing those places that you've read about all your life and letting those stories from the Gospel writers come to life.
Beck covers all the areas which are usually included in Holy Land tours. He has helpfully marked the "must see" sites, explains their significance and what the travel should expect at each place. He does a nice job of noting all the various places that can be seen at each city or region but make clear that with a limited amount of time, their are places to see and there are others that can be skipped.
I'm discovering that the more time I spend in Beck's book, the more eager and excited I am about this trip. As I go through my final check list of what to pack, "The Holy Land for Christian Travelers" will be at the top!
