ISRAEL. Jordan: baptismal river

Jordan


River, where Jesus was baptized by John.

The Jordan River flows from north to the south of Israel, where it joins the Dead Sea. When the twelve tribes of Israel shared the Promised Land, the three of them have received their inheritance on the east bank of the Jordan.
Many biblical events associated with this river. Its waters parted before the ark of the covenant, when the Israelis after a 40-year journey through the desert were in a land flowing with milk and honey.
Here occurred the Gospel events: John the Baptist preaches repentance and baptizing in the Jordan River:

Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized by him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? But Jesus answered him, Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he suffered him. He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water - and, lo, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. The Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 3

So for the first time Jesus Christ was revealed to the people of Israel.

ISRAEL. Ein Karem: Mary and Elizabeth

 Ein Karem

Hometown of John the Baptist. Here met Mary Elizabeth.

Ein Karem is translated as "source in the vineyard." This village is located not far from Jerusalem. Family lived there the priest Zacharias, was the birthplace of John the Baptist:

In the days of Herod, king of Judea, a priest from Avievoy chreda named Zacharias, and his wife of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. They had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years. Once when he was in the order of their Zacharias stood before God, by lot, as the custom of the priesthood, he went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense, and the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense, - there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right the altar of incense. And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. And the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard, and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and shalt call his name John; And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord; will not drink wine or strong drink, and the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb; and many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God; And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, so that the Lord a people prepared. And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? For I am an old man and my wife well stricken in years. The angel said to him: I am Gabriel, who stand before God, and am sent to speak unto thee, and thee these glad tidings; and, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak until the day that these things shall be, for the fact that you did not believe my words, which shall be fulfilled in their time. And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he tarried so long in the temple. He came out, he could not speak to them; and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he signs to them and remained speechless. And when the day ended his service, he returned to his house. After these days Elizabeth conceived, his wife, and hid herself five months, saying, Thus hath the LORD unto me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men. 
The Gospel of Luke, chapter 1, 5-25

This amazing story reminded me of another - when God promised Abram a son childless. The promise was fulfilled when Abram was already 100 years old!

So, Elizabeth was pregnant when she came to Mary, who is also expecting a child.
   And Mary arose in those days, and went with haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah, and entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and cried with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she who believed, because accomplished told her from the Lord. And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, he hath regarded the humility of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth will call me all kinds; that made ​​me great, and holy is his name; And his mercy is from generation to generation to those who fear him; He hath shewed strength with his arm; scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts; He hath put down the mighty from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; filled the hungry with good things, and let bogatyaschihsya with nothing; Israel took his servant, in remembrance of his mercy, as he said to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever. And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to his house.
The Gospel of Luke, chapter 1, 39-56

John the Baptist had received from God a very important service: prepare the way of the Lord, because at the time of the Savior's birth Jews lost faith, and were burdened with enslavement. They were looking for liberation from earthly bondage, but God wanted to prepare their hearts for deliverance from sin.

Ephesus

This ancient city was founded over fifteen hundred years before Christ, has experienced a variety of military and natural disasters, but its ruins are preserved to this day.
Here was one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world, where the apostle Paul preached here he fought with beasts (1 Cor. 15:32), here lived the last years of his life the apostle John and Mary the mother of Jesus Christ.
And the angel of the church of Ephesus write ...

"At one time, Ephesus was the center of Christian life in Asia Minor. After the destruction of the city by the Goths in 262, the words of warning in Revelation. February 5 fulfilled literally, in all the suburbs near the extensive ruins have not met one Christian." 
(Bible Dictionary by E.Nyustrem)