(21/4/98) Megiddo is now in ruins, but it was once a great city on the crossroads of history. Nations from the two ends of the known world 3000 years ago, Babylon in the East and Egypt in the West clashed in battle for possession of Megiddo.
You can still walk through the great gates of Megiddo from Canaanite days. King David and Solomon walked through these gates. Ahab kept his war chariots and horses here and Jehu, his successor, chased Amazia, the king of Judah to these gates and had him killed here. The grain silo and the water tunnel kept the city fully equipped to face long sieges.
Who can visit Megiddo and not be shocked at mankind's desire to make war? Look over the fertile Jezreel valley from the top of Megiddo! And tell me if you think a farmer in his wheat field wanted to go to war.
How could it be that these farmers were enticed to leave their peaceful lands and go to war?
In the Bible man keeps saying that it's G-d who made him go to war. They said that the enemies who attacked them could only have been sent by G-d. Why else would that enemy leave his peaceful land in Egypt or Babylon to march hundreds of miles to make war against another peaceful group of people on their land.
The Bible, however, stresses over and over again that G-d doesn't want war. Man is using G-d as a scapegoat, as an excuse for his own foolishness. In spite of all the riches G-d has given him, and these can be seen more clearly at Megiddo than many other places on earth, man is determined to make war. Man is the puzzle not G-d.
The city was destroyed and rebuilt at least 21 times. The people here couldn't have enjoyed many peaceful times.
While fighting the wars, however, people always remembered their peaceful lands and always dreamed of returning to them. As history proceeded peace seemed to be a more and more unattainable goal.
People eventually came to the belief that you'd only find peace in Paradise, in the world to come. In fact the word "Paradise" is a Hebrew Biblical word referring to a fertile orchard of Pomegranates, Figs and Grapes. The kind of products that grew in the Jezreel valley.
It's about time that man started blaming himself for war not G-d. When he starts doing that he will begin to discover that Paradise is here on Earth not in Heaven.
Check out some of Leon's photos
Leon Gork (Tour Guide)
P.O.Box 4354 Jerusalem 91042
Tel/Fax 02 5810732....Cel.053 801867/823905
e-mail.leongork@netvision.net.il
Treasurer:Jerusalem for Bicycles
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