Driving through Armageddon

While driving around the Sea of Galilee, we crossed through the Valley of Armageddon (Yes, that Armageddon) more than once. 

I was surprised at how lush and green a place it is actually. I had always pictured it as a rocky and barren hellhole or something. In fact, the whole of northern Israel has become a lush agricultural area with date, olive, and banana trees a plenty. Granted, we were there in February, and it was 65 degrees Fahrenheit. I imagine in the heat of the summer, it is likely not as lush. 

In any event, here are some pictures I took from the bus. They are not as clear as some of my photography on this trip because you can only do so much when taking pictures through tinted glass while in a moving bus, but you get the general idea of what it was like:

Our tour guide, Ezra, would occasionally get on the PA system in the tour bus and nonchalantly announce that "We are not passing through Armageddon, " which would always bring about chuckles from a group of pastors. Every time he would say that, I would want to play this classic Johnny Cash clip which is largely about that same imagery in the Book of Revelation: