Here is the photo of the small bottle of water from Jacob's Well. Each one is unique and hand made and hand painted. Be in touch if you'd like to have one (or more).

info@biblechild.com

Here is an old map of the region of ancient Nineveh which was the seat of the ancient Assyrian Empire.

Some recent photos from a short trip around the Holy Land

THE SEA OF GALILEE

I have added this photo of my wife, Sonia, and my little girl, Christine, which was taken from the traditional spot of the Mount of Beatitudes. My dad always felt that the actual spot was perhaps more to the southwest from here and up on a elevated area down near the sea. It is hard to say. Some say it was more nearer to this point.

At this point, we are looking directly south. You can see how the Sea of Galilee is quite large and it sits down in a basin area 212 meters below sea level.

There are fewer lakes more beautiful than the Sea of Galilee, which could aptly be called according to Fr. Hoade (author of the standard volume Guide to the Holy Land) this is the "Lake of Jesus" and to that statement, I could not agree more.

THE SYNAGOGUE IN NAZARETH


I have added this photo to the left. It for me represents one of the most special places in the whole world. It is the location of "the synagogue" mentioned in Luke 4:16, which says:

"And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and he entered, as his custom was, into the synagogue on the day of the sabbaths and stood up to read."

This day was not just any sabbath (or Saturday). No, this was the day of Pentecost when this passage was read. Read on the next few verses and get the picture of what was said in this place.

This for me is a place which was for our Lord, a central place in His spiritual life. There is so much truth in Luke 4:16 if we are just willing to hear it. Look at it. It says that Jesus had been brought up in Nazareth, not somewhere in India or another place. Note that also in this place, Jesus frequented it regularly. It was His custom to be here on the Sabbath day.

For me this is just one of those special places because my dad took me there maybe 7-8 times growing up and for him it was a real authentic place. From this place, the good news was proclaimed and we all know what were the results: the blind saw, the hungry were fed, the poor received comfort, the sick were healed, and the captives were set free. A special place indeed.

On Sunday May 21, I visited the region of the City of David and took these photos of the recently discovered Pool of Siloam. Pretty amazing stuff. Lots of activity going on in that area to be sure.

This view is looking almost directly south and just behind me is where Hezekiah's tunnel comes out. You can clearly see the steps of the pool of Siloam here remarkably preserved.

Note to the right of the pool is a private home.








Here is a larger view of the area and you can see the pool in the center of the photo. Note the pavement. No doubt that Jesus and the Apostles walked on those stones. Pretty amazing stuff.

The way it looks now with all the activity going on in this area and with its remarkable archaeological richness, no doubt we are going to see more amazing finds from this region.

This area is one we really need to watch.

Here I am adding some photos for you to see some of the things I spoke about in my tour of the neighboorhood paper.

This photo here (left) and it is looking directly south from my roof towards Jerusalem.

The key point in this photo is the highest point which is known as Gibeah. You can read about it all throughout the Old Testament as the ancestral home of King Saul and the seat of the tribe of Benjamin in ancient times. Today, it is known as tel il ful (which means hill of beans - no joke intended). This is a very significant site in the history of the nation of Israel. In this context, it is good to review Isaiah 10:28 and following where these places are mentioned.

The photo to the left is of Neveh Shmuel (Nabi Samuil) You can see it as the hill just off to the left and it has a small green patch on it. The little white tower is a mosque and in that building you have a synagogue at the site commemorating the grave of Samuel the prophet.









This photo is also of Ramah, but looking more due east. Taken from the higest point on my own house.












Here I am adding some photos for you to see some of the things I spoke about in my tour of the neighboorhood paper.

The first photo is of Al Ram (Ramah). The ancient village is located in the old town which is on top of the hill near the tower which is a mosque.

This view is looking directly to the Northeast and from here we are about seven miles northeast of Jerusalem's Old City.

For some information about me and my first book see my website:

www.biblechild.com or contact me on info@biblechild.com.

"Thy Rod and Thy Staff, They Comfort Me: Christians and the Spanking (Smacking) Controversy"

Please visit my personal website at:

www.hometown.aol.com/peacelvng1/myhomepage/index.html

For a recent review also see:

www.repeal59.blogspot.com - July 25 2006

Best Wishes,

Samuel Martin
Jerusalem Israel

August 18, 2006 - Jerusalem

Last week was a really amazing time for me. I saw my life go full circle.

In 1968, I first visited Israel with my family and my father, Dr. Ernest L. Martin, took me on my first visits to archaeological sites in Jerusalem and around the country. I can remember going with him to visit Jericho when there were no fences or tourist attractions. I can remember going with him to Tel Lachish in his Land Rover. These are just to name a few. What amazing memories. Being dropped off in the pottery shed to clean 2000 year old pots while working near the Western Wall with the excavation lead by Professor Benjamin Mazar.

Well, today, it looks like my family still has archaeology in its blood. You can see me pictured ( I am on the left) with Dr. Shimon Gibson, a Senior Fellow at the Albright Archaeological Institute in Jerusalem at an excavation he is leading in the Jerusalem area.

On this day, it was a pleasure for me to share this experience with my daughter, Jessica, age three. If the photos above are any indication, it seems she has a future in archaeology.

I urge anyone with kids who wants to have a really great time of discovery to come to Israel and get involved in archaeology. You never know what you might be involved in finding.

Samuel Martin
Jerusalem Israel