Come discover the land of Jesus. It will transform the way you read your Bible.

Israel abounds with beauty. It is vibrant and thriving, stacked with delicacies and flooded with light. The desert is blooming and people are flourishing--just as Scripture promised. To the surprise of many, Israel is far more than deserts and ruins.

Pairing 31 rich devotionals with 350 gorgeous photos of Israel today, Tara-Leigh Cobble, creator of The Bible Recap, takes you on an unforgettable journey through the Holy Land. Since 2014, she has led boutique teaching tours of the country, learning about its landscapes and stories. Glimpse Israel's features, flora, and people, all while making deeper connections with its biblical stories and truth.

My Thoughts:

A beautiful full-colored photo book of Israel.  The photos are stunning of different areas throughout Israel. There are thirty-one locations throughout Israel: Joppa, Caesarea Maritima, Mount Carmel, Tel Dan, Ein Gedi, Masada, Mount Olives, Garden Tomb, and many other known locations throughout the Bible.

Each location starts out with a scripture verse about the location and a bit of history on it.

I have been to Israel before and it’s a stunning place to be and has a unique beauty like nowhere else in the world. My husband and son have been there a few times. My son just got back from Israel two weeks ago on a self-made tour and not with a traditional tour group.

I love the stunning pictures in this book and even several aerial photos of the country. There are a lot of photos of hotels and resorts' lounging areas inside and outside. A lot of places to sit with stunning views in the hotels. The Dead Sea all the hotels are stunning with a lot of sitting areas to get out of the heat. There were also food photos which I thought were good.

I would have loved to see more of the architecture in Israel and the ruins of the different places. I know all the ruins look kind of the same but there are several places that are unique.  I love the doors and gates in Israel They are unique and stunning. The culture there is rich with the different outdoor markets. The people like more of the Bedouins and other cultures. The nine of the falls of Ein Gedi along with the caves. In most tour groups you see only two of the falls and maybe three. I was hoping to see more synagogues and mosaics that you find in several places that are amazingly preserved. Jesus would have been in those places too. Fishermen on the Sea of Gallie, Hebron, Safed, and even the miniature of the city of Jerusalem. I would have rather seen fewer hotel and sitting areas.

There is an index in the back of the book with locations. I would have loved to see location information on each page.

Did I like the book, yes. It’s absolutely stunning. I just wanted to see more of Israel and the landscape and culture. I love Israel and felt it represents so much more than the photos here. It's truly in the eye of the beholder as there is much to see in Israel and what I want to see is slightly different than what the author shows. There is much more to Israel than all the ruins and I get that the author wanted others to see more than that. Israel is a modern-day miracle with the land being rich in culture, produce, and flora. It's amazing what the country has done since 1967. Israel is truly blessed by God.

Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest thoughts. 

 

  

 

I was fascinated by all the signs in Israel. Here are just a few of them. Some of them just seem odd as Americans.

I haven't figured out if its the camels or the firing zone on both sides you need to watch out for more!

Tank Crossing and Dust Clouds! 

The Lowest place on earth! Wow!

Not your typical swimming instructions.

Don't jump over the fence here.

 

Nor do you want to jump the fence here either.

 

 Not so odd!

 I don't think I've seen a sign for older people in American. Have you?

 I just like these directional signs. My heart was ready to get to Jerusalem!

 Maybe not so odd of a sign. I don't know why I took the picture!

Just remember to not order a cheese burger or a shake at a Kosher McDonald.

What do you think? I'm sure many places think we have odd signs in our country.

Last month my son turned the big 13! It's hard to believe that he is a teenager now. 

My son had an exciting year last year. He took his first trip on an airplane in November and it ended up being a long airplane ride to Israel!  In December he turned 13 and had his Bar Mitzvah.

Calling him Little Man doesn't seem so appropriate anymore- does it? I'll have to rethink what to call him on my blog now! 

In November my husband and son went to Israel for 12 days. Bug and me stayed home and had a lot of girl time while the guys were away.

It was a miracle that the guys got to go. We felt it was a God's timing as he approached his Bar Mitzvah. Most importantly it made the Bible really come alive to him and to experience the land that our Rabbi Yeshua our Lord and Savior walked. What a privilege and blessing for my son to make aliyah(going up to-Jerusalem).  I love hearing my son say things like, "Mom we were there in Israel while reading the Bible" or seeing pictures of Israel and relating to it by being in the land.

He was able to read his Bar Mitzvah portion at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. That was very special to him and his father. It is something he will never forget.

 

He is no longer under the chuppah for the children's blessing and can hold one of the chuppah poles now.

He can now wear a tallit. He found his tallit and matching kippah in Jerusalem. Finding his tallit in Jerusalem makes it even more special to him. He recited the tallit blessing in Hebrew before putting it on.

 I love this picture of him putting on his tallit for the first time. His dad looks pretty proud of his son.

Look at those big smiles from my guys. 

 

Little Man lead the liturgy and gave a sermon. He had worked hard on his sermon and the Hebrew for 8 months. It was a lot of hard work for him. Of course as a mom I'm real proud of him.

He taught on Genesis 45: 1-15, Ezekial 37: 15-28, and Luke 24:13-31. The portion was perfect for his trip to Israel.  

One thing he added to his sermon after coming back from Israel was a quote from Mark Twain:  

"[It is a] desolate country whose soil is rich enough, but is given over wholly to weeds-a silent mournful expanse… A desolation is here that not even imagination can grace with the pomp of life and action… We never saw a human being on the whole route… There was hardly a tree or a shrub anywhere. Even the olive and the cactus, those fast friends of the worthless soil, had almost deserted the country."

My son seen how the nation of Israel is now flourishing in many ways.  His Bar Mitzvah portion impacted him being in the Land of Israel and comparing the quote. He seen God's hand on the land and His people. I loved how he shared his relationship with Yeshua to the congregation too.

He loves Yeshua with all of his heart and loves the nation of Israel and her people. He hopes to one day join the IDF an be part of Israel.

Afterwards we celebrated with cake, chocolate fountain, all kinds of wonderful food, family, and friends. 

I love watching my son growing up and embracing Yeshua as his Lord and Savior!

Israel’s Mission is part of that the World May Know DVD Bible Study Series. If you have never watched this series then I highly recommend that you watch them. They are a wonderful study tool to add to your Bible Study. Whether you are doing this on your own or with a group. If you haven’t watched them Israel’s mission is a stand-alone that you don’t need to watch the other’s in this.

Israel’s Mission is 5 lessons on, “Becoming a Kingdom of Priest in a Prodigal World.” All 5 episodes are filmed in the Middle East. Each episode runs around 30 minutes.

The five episodes are:

Abraham and Sarah and The Three strangers filmed in the Negev Desert in Israel.

Israel at Sinai: The First Great Commission filmed in Timnah, Israel which runs 31 minutes.

Jesus Renews His Mission: Seeking the Lost filmed in Qatzrin, Israel.

The Lost Son: In a Far Away Country filmed in Jerash, Jordan.

The Seeking Father: The Lost Son Returns filmed in Qatzrin, Israel.

Ray Vander Laan knows the culture, history, and the land of Israel. He brings out some amazing information that ties God’s word to life. We happened to watch this series before we went to Israel not long ago and I recalled many of the lessons from the other’s in this series when I was in the Land. The DVD really brings the word alive while you are digging into scripture and seeing the places.

The Discovery Guide covers all 5 episodes in detail it can be used for and individual or a group study. It’s broken down nicely which references to the scriptures. There are photos, maps, and other study tools.

One that that I really appreciate about Ray Vander Laan is that he always brings it back to a life application and encourages you to a closer walk with our Lord and Savior Jesus.

 I received both the Discovery Guide and the DVD. I cannot say enough good things about Israel’s Mission or the series. You are missing out on a great study if you haven’t watched them.

Litfuse Publicity Group has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book. In no way was I asked to give a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.