This week I am writing my post on the city Jericho, which I became interested in when I read a little about it in A Pearl In The Sand by Tessa Afshar.
With evidence of settlement dating back to 9000 BCE, Jericho is known as one of the oldest constantly occupied cities in the world. As many know, it was known as indestructible city with it's tall, impenetrable walls until God led the Israelites to victory in Joshua 6. Eventually it even belonged to the Persian empire and was used as an administrative office, and also later became a private estate of Alexander the Great. Herod the great later came into possession of the great city.
Herod originally leased Jericho from Cleopatra after Mark Antony gave it to her. After their joint suicide in 30 BCE, Octavian took control of the Roman empire and allowed Herod free rein over Jericho. Herod’s rule oversaw the construction of a theater - Tel es-Samrat - for his guests.
In Luke 18-19 Jesus visits Jericho, and it is there He meets Zacchaeus who climbs a Sycamore tree to see the LORD. Zacchaeus lived in Jericho and was drawn to Jesus. Because of his shortness and the thickness of the crowds, he was forced to climb a tree to behold Jesus. The story continues that Jesus sees Zacchaeus, tells him to repent, and follows him to Zaccheaus' house. While this story has little to do with Jericho, the tree within it still stands - which I found interesting and couldn't help but point out. :-)
Well, that was a really scattered post! lol. But there's some information about Jericho! :-)
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