The Cave of John the Baptist

If you're looking through the sites listed in Israel guided tours, make sure one of them is the Cave of John the Baptist. Though we often focus on the preaching and baptizing by John the Baptist, we have been able to uncover more about his earlier years through archaeological means. One archaeologist in particular, Dr. Shimon Gibson, believes that a cave discovered in 1999 has proof of Christian inhabitants from John the Baptist's time until the 11th century. Though there are many fascinating pieces of evidence, the most intriguing is probably the 2.5ft high wall carving of a man holding a shepherd's crook, raising his arms and wearing a garment similar to what John would have worn. One of the most thrilling theories is that this is the cave where Elizabeth hid John from Herod's soldiers (Matt. 2:16). Strangely enough, a Byzantine-era Holy Land souvenir was found in Italy that bears a resemblance to the cave spoken about above with the inscription "Blessings of the Lord from the refuge of St. Elizabeth". Whether or not the theory is true, the Cave of John the Baptist is an interesting and worthwhile site to visit on your trip to Israel.