Hello reader. Here is the last post in my blog series. Thank you so much for accompanying me on the journey...

I eventually managed to pull myself away from Timna Park and finally made it into the busy port and popular resort of Eilat on the Red Sea coast.

Tourism is the major source of income but the city's strategic value is enormous. Eilat provides Israel with a vital link to Africa and Asia, thus helping the country to maintain diplomatic, cultural and trade ties beyond the Mediterranean and Europe. This perspective gains even more significance when one considers the city's neighbours. I had seen many times on maps how tightly Eilat is wedged between the borders of Egypt and Jordan but I did not realise how much until I saw the reality on the ground.

The city is adjacent to the Egyptian village of Taba to the south_west and the Jordanian port city of Aqaba to the east, and only 8 miles separate the respective border crossings at these two points. Here is a picture that I took of Aqaba when I went on a boat trip around the bay. The Jordanian flag can just about be seen as a speck in the distance:

Alternatively, this is the tourist view next door:

No sign of any war or conflict here, right? This photo merely underlines the truth that appearances do not tell the whole story. Israel may have signed peace treaties with both Egypt and Jordan but tensions are alive and kicking and will not be resolved until the Prince of Peace returns to rule Israel.

During a relaxing two days in Eilat, I also got to do some snorkelling at the Coral Beach Nature Reserve, which I would recommend to anybody. The coral reefs and other tropical marine life that one can see here are simply stunning. Sadly, my camera would have died a quick death had I used it underwater, so there are no pictures that I can show you. Sorry…

I had returned my car to the rental company upon arriving in Eilat as it was my plan to travel back through the desert by bus. So it was then, that as the sun went down, I joined other travellers boarding the early evening express service to Tel Aviv_Jaffa, over 200 miles away. Around six to seven hours later, I checked into my new abode, the Beit Immanuel Guest House and Youth Hostel in Jaffa. Rich in history, this is a really welcoming place to stay. You can check out their website here. I went out for a stroll along the Tel Aviv seafront before going to bed. As I looked at the crashing waves sparkling in the lights of the city, I kept thinking how blessed I was to have travelled the length and breadth of the country and to have come a full circle safe and sound. A dream fulfilled. I thanked ADONAI and turned in for the night.

I had a couple of days to spend in Tel Aviv_Jaffa prior to flying back to the UK and so I decided to do a whirlwind tour of the sights that I had not got around to seeing during my first stopover in the city. Priority number one was Independence Hall, which is where Israel's Declaration of Independence was proclaimed by David Ben_Gurion and signed at 4pm in the main hall on 14 May 1948. At that time, the building housed the Tel Aviv Museum of Art but is now a museum dedicated to the events of that special May afternoon. Here are photos of the front of the building and the main hall:

I also visited the Haganah Museum (Haganah comes from the Hebrew word HaHagana meaning "The Defence" and is the name of the forerunner organisation of the IDF), the IDF History Museum and the indoor observation deck of the Azrieli Center Circular Tower. This tower has 49 floors, making it the tallest building in Tel Aviv.

Finally, I walked around the ancient port city of Jaffa (or Yafo (Hebrew) or Joppa), from which the famous brand of oranges takes its name. In case you were wondering, Tel Aviv used to be a suburb of Jaffa but now the situation is completely reversed which is why the city's full name (which I have used occasionally in this post) is now " Tel Aviv_Jaffa". Here are two views. The first is of the Old City of Jaffa on a sunny day at the start of my Israel trip and the second is taken during my visit to Jaffa and looks towards Tel Aviv:

Some say the name Jaffa comes from Japheth, one of the sons of Noah, who built it after the Flood. There are four Scripture references to the city in the Tanakh (Old Testament) – Joshua 19:46; Jonah 1:3; Ezra 3:7; 2 Chronicles 2:16 – which you can read for yourself but it is the New Testament account of Peter's vision in Jaffa and ensuing ministry in Acts 10 that I wish to talk about now. Firstly, Peter was commanded by ADONAI in the vision to stop treating as unclean what He, ADONAI, had made clean. Afterwards, when Peter was called upon to minister to the Roman army officer, Cornelius, and his relatives and close friends (in other words, non_Jews), Peter understood what ADONAI meant:

"I now understand that God does not play favourites, but that whoever fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him, no matter what people he belongs to." Acts 10:34_35

This was confirmed by the believers in Jerusalem to whom Peter later related his experiences:

On hearing these things, they stopped objecting and began to praise God, saying, "This means that God has enabled the Goyim [non_Jews] as well to do t'shuvah [repentance] and have life!" Acts 11:18, CJB

As Jewish and non_Jewish believers start to fellowship together as the Holy Spirit leads in the closing days of this age, forming the "one new man" that ADONAI created through the shed blood of Yeshua (Ephesians 2:11_22), the events of Acts 10_11 should be borne in mind. Each and every one of us can only be saved through faith in Yeshua. There are no exceptions (Acts 4:12)

"There is salvation in no one else! For there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by whom we must be saved!"

I left Israel for the UK early the following morning, changed in deep ways, desiring to return soon but knowing that I have Kingdom business to do first in the country of my birth. The words of Ephesians 5:15_17 are key in this respect:

Therefore, pay careful attention to how you conduct your life – live wisely, not unwisely. Use your time well, for these are evil days. So don't be foolish, but try to understand what the will of the Lord is.

Those of us who are asleep need to wake up. Those of us who are awake need to get ready. The King of Kings, Yeshua, will soon be returning to His city, Yerushalayim, and His nation, Isra'el. His words in Revelation 22:12_13 conclude this post and, indeed, my time on this blog:

"Pay attention!" [says Yeshua,] "I am coming soon, and my rewards are with me to give to each person according to what he has done. I am the 'A' and the 'Z', the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End."

Shalom in the name of Yeshua,

Ben