JAFFA

Port Jaffa on the Mediterranean Coast. - Photo David Kiern

My very first hours in Israel were spent in the ancient town of Jaffa, sitting outside, sipping my very first Turkish coffee, listening to the cold rain pitter-patter on the canopy overhead. It felt like a movie: Casablanca or Lawrence of Arabia… We were waiting for the rest of our group to arrive from Frankfurt, their flight having been delayed. But, I didn’t mind the wait, or the rain. After all, I was in Israel! Just a stone’s throw from the homes of Simon the tanner (Acts 10:6) and the disciple Tabitha (Acts 9:36).

On the 11th of April 1909, 66 Jewish families gathered on a little sand dune, just north of the ancient port city of Jaffa, to parcel out land by lottery using seashells to mark the boundaries, establishing their new town of Tel Aviv.

Today, this humble suburb has grown to become what the New York Times dubbed “The Mediterranean Capital of Cool.”

Tel Aviv on the day it was established

Tel Aviv is Israel’s cultural hot spot, world-famous for its art, cuisine, and architecture! It’s a flourishing technological center, ranked just behind Silicon Valley as the best place to launch a start-up company. As of 2021, Tel Aviv became the world’s most expensive city in which to live.

Modern Tel Aviv

Most Bible-based tours of Israel don’t spend much time in Tel Aviv or its now-suburb Jaffa (sometimes called Yafo or Joppa). This might be because, in similar fashion, the Bible mentions Jaffa only a few times. Once was with the Prophet Jonah, and on another occasion with a “Son of Jonah”.

Let’s take a look…

An Ancient Port

Ships docked in port Jaffa at sunset.

Recently, while listening to a One For Israel Podcast, I learned of a fascinating connection between two Biblical characters with the name “Jonah” (which means dove in Hebrew).

I knew the stories…but never considered these parallels…grab your markers…

God told the Prophet Jonah to travel to the Assyrian capital city of Nineveh with a message for Israel’s hated oppressors, the Assyrians. God planned to pour out His abundant mercy, not only on Nineveh’s entire (Gentile) population, but also on the Gentile sailors who survived the storm! Jonah took the long way, and the hard way, from Jaffa to Nineveh, but eventually he witnessed God’s heart for all people! (“As well as many animals!”)

Hundreds of years later, the disciple Simon “son of Jonah”, was staying in Jaffa when God told him to travel to Rome’s Judaean capital city of Caesarea to meet with Israel’s hated oppressors, the Romans, specifically a Gentile Roman Centurion. (Jewish law forbade Simon from associating with a non-Jew or even visiting him.) But, God prepared Simon’s heart for this, and again, God planned to pour out His abundant mercy, not only upon this (Gentile) Centurion, but upon his entire household as well! Cornelius was the first Gentile follower of Jesus, and after the Holy Spirit fell upon him and his household, Peter had some explaining to do back in Jerusalem! He had witnessed God’s heart for all people! (Acts 11:1-18)

“What Jonah learned in the ocean, let me learn this morning in my room: “Salvation belongs to the LORD!”

-Charles Spurgeon

Surfers in Jaffa after sundown

Today, it’s easy to be distracted by this “Capital of Cool” with its shiny skyscrapers and old cobblestone streets. But, when you walk around Israel “with your Bible open” …when you see this Land with your imagination engaged, something special happens…

You can catch a glimpse of Jonah rushing past you in a crowd on his way to grab a boat. You can see the ships from Lebanon arrive to unload massive cedar logs for the building of the Second Temple. (Ezra 3:7) You literally feel the warm sun and gentle breeze off the water, and understand why Simon Peter was on the rooftop around noon, because you’d want to be there too! (Acts 10:9) You can imagine how the city of Jaffa would have mourned when the beloved Tabitha suddenly dies, and then hear the rejoicing when Simon brings her back to life! (Acts 9:36ff)

This modern and secular city may seem as unlikely to turn its heart back to God today as ancient Nineveh, or a Roman Centurion, would be. But, I believe the day is coming when, once again, like after that miraculous resurrection of Tabitha, the streets of Jaffa will echo with the praises of their God and their Messiah Yeshua!

“It became known throughout Jaffa, and many came to believe in the Lord.”

-Acts 9:42

Sarah shields herself from a cold wind on our first day in Jaffa - January 2016