A tour of Paul’s Journeys (at least a portion)

So I am in the USA now for about 6 months. On my way back to the States I took a detour. It was wonderful to meet my parents in Turkey and to tour Ephesus, Crete, Patmos, Athens, Corinth, etc… We saw places that Paul visited and preached. We saw things that made the Bible come alive. We learned cultural things which makes Scriptures mean more.
I also had time to get over some “reverse-culture-shock”, still have jetlag though.  I enjoyed some wonderful food and time with my parents before hitting the busyness of the States.
I was most impressed with all the great buildings of old and yet reminded of how everything will “fade away, but the Word of the Lord will stand forever!”  I was reminded of the spiritual battles Paul faced as he preached in pagan cities full of idolatry. Sadly much of the remains that we find so glorious were built for worshipping the false gods. And yet ironically there was a time when many were re-used for churches (and mosques) later. 
So take a look at some places with me!
EPHESUS!


My dad led a Scripture reading and devotional in the City Council building of Ephesus.











( below) The stadium/theatre where the city rioted over the temple of Artemis.


 

The city library.

Paul and John and so many others most likely walked the path from the port to the city! Wow.

The 1 1/2 pillars below are all that is left of the great Temple of Diana/Artemis. One of the seven wonders of the world! (only the Word of the Lord will stand forever)









The Public outhouse!  they had running water under the seats in the hole and fresh running water in the trench in front of the seats to wash hands afterwards! Not much privacy though.
There were pillars everywhere!!!












There were also mosaics, carvings of people, mythology, and designs, and pieces of buildings, pillars, and other parts of history everywhere.  In Ephesus there were Greek inscriptions on pillars, buildings, plaques, and other stones. Dad and I were trying to understand even one or two words from our Biblical Greek training!

   
  
The last carving is of the goddess NIKE, can you kind of see the symbol used by the shoe company?
Santorini – a great vacation place on one of the many islands of Greece.
  

He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, Who was and is and is to come!

PATMOS – where John was imprisoned and wrote Revelations.

 

ATHENS: the most popular view of the Acropolis and the Parthenon.  Paul preached here on Mars Hill which is a big rock at the foot of the Acropolis overlooking the old market.

  

    

(top right) Mars Hill and the modern city of Athens.
(left and right) Standing on Mars Hill, looking at the Acropolis.  And Dad walking down the original steps the Paul would have walked on to get to Mars Hill!



CORINTH: Where Paul spent time preaching and was called before the “Bema” seat but let off. Every city had a “bema” seat, place of judgment in a public place. The judge was on the platform overlooking and the accused was often tied to this post and beaten. Our guide gave his personal testimony here.
 
 
A small canal dug at the isthmus of Corinth. At the time of Paul they would have carried ships over land at this point for trade to and from Rome.
An amazing thing is that they have only unearthed less than 25% of the ruins at all these places and yet the more they unearth, the more they find evidence which proves the Bible true. Names of people mentioned in Scripture are found on plaques and documents.

CT Studd wrote a poem and this stanza sums up my thoughts of the trip:

Only one life, yes only one,
Soon will its fleeting hours be done;
Then, in ‘that day’ my Lord to meet,
And stand before His Judgement seat;
Only one life,’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Oh yeah! I also found some YIELD signs in Turkey and Greece