I didn’t know you really existed until now. But I’m not the only one. The story goes that a man was plowing his garden when he came upon a large piece of stone. He assumed it was the bottom of an ancient column, but discovered it was the top of an ancient Roman column of your ancient city, Beth-Shan!

If my friends can see the trees up on the hill, that’s where the level of earth where the man was plowing. All of this down below was rediscovered. Notice the trees to the far left down below. Those were planted to show us the new growth upon this remarkable uncovering of this city. 

Now with all that is uncovered, your stories came alive as I walked the ruins and sat with others in your amphitheater. Folks also call the amphitheater an arena for gladiator contests which is Latin for sand because of the sand spread on the floor to absorb the shed blood. That wasn’t the only bloodshed.

Where I live is an infant compared to your history. I start with 5000 B.C. (Before Christ) or as known secularly as B.C.E. (Before Common Era) when your first settlers arrived. In 3600 the Canaanite tribe settled here, but your land was full of blood in 1140. The story is recorded in Judges about the death of King Saul, Israel’s first king. Israel and the Philistines were at war. They killed Saul’s sons, one being Jonathan. Saul got badly hurt and couldn’t bear to be killed by his enemy so he asked his armor-bearer to kill him. He refused and Saul chose to fall upon his own sword. It is recorded in 1 Samuel 31:6, “Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor-bearer, and all his men, on the same day together.” The Philistines cut off their heads and hung them at the gates of your very city. (Verse 10-12) It was after this horrific battle that David was given word that it was his turn to be king, but first he lamented the death of King Saul and his best friend, Jonathan. 

Your city was given a new name that is recorded in the New Testament - Scythopolis. Paul included your people when he wrote, “here there is not Greek or Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.” (Colossians 3:11) You would have been a beautiful place to live. Fertile garden land between the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea. I love how wide you made your Main Street. 

The Romans and Byzantines built incredible bathhouses with innovative hot floors for your people. {pic of bathhouses) The Romans built a temple to their god, Zeus. Later the Byzantines built a Christian church and you were a flourishing Christian city. This people laid mosaic tiles around you and they would have been abundant here. {mosaic tiles) Mosaics are various tiles that form patterns. Your city’s patterns of bloodshed and different gods elevated and worshipped made this place eerie to visit, plus the given rain that fell added to such a feeling. Because what I was left to see of you was caused in 749 A.D. (After Christ’s death) or as known secularly as C.E. (Common Era), by an earthquake and you were deserted. Your city left in ruins. Until the man plowed his garden and history uncovered. 

A sojourner through Israel,

Shauna 

(Facts shared come from the Scriptures and from the tour with Insight for Living Ministries. Imagination from my own heart.)