Megiddo, con't...
The tel is an active excavation site. The archeologists working in the shade of black netting tents have so far uncovered 17 layers of Canaanite cities, all of which predate Israel's occupation of the land. Some features of the ancient city have been uncovered in very good condition. Gaurd rooms above the gate are one aspect that adds extra security to the narrow entrance. The road up to the city does not directly approach the gate but sidles up to the wall before making a 90 degree angle to turn into the gate. This forces the approaching enemy to expose its flank to the sentries along the wall before turning to assault the gate. On the far side of the tel, the low remains of a wall enclose the stone floor and mangers that once held twenty or more horses. There were even a few ancient bovine grazing on the other side of the wall. I'm sure they dated back to the time of Solomon! Not far from the stables, a small stone shed covered a steep flight of stairs that wound down into a deep pit to a tunnel that had been hewn out to reach an underground spring. After exploring the underground spring, I raced a tired Sara(6) back up the stairs in order to take her mind off how many stairs there were. She was super proud of the fact that she beat me and the boys. Across the city, a large, stone dias sits about four feet above the rest of a large courtyard. On this dias, pagan rituals and sacrifices took place. Much of the pagan worship revolved around fertility and the harvest - the continuation of life. God had given Israel the first fruit offerings and the sabbatical year to remind them that He was the one to bless and provide for their future. God has placed us, His people, in strategic places all around the world where we can bear witness to the one true God. In our reactions and activities, we too can show our trust in the goodness and provision of God.