Travelogue Asia Minor..

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Published: Friday, 11 August 2017 02:17
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Wine-production

5:25 PM

Turkey is wine -producing county since the time of Hittites. Wine is being grown in ancient time.

The types of wines depends on types of grapes:

 

Red grapes produce the following wine - Cabernet Sauvignon; Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Pinot noir, Adakarası, Papazkarası, Sémillon and others. White grapes produce the following wine - Sauvignon blanc, Clairette blanche, Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon gris, etc.

 

Cappadocia in central Turkey is the wine country. (Cappadocia; Ancient region of Central Anatolia Region, today's Turkey Quasi-independent in various forms until 17 AD)

 

(Peps: Winery. Noah introduced vine-dressing and winery. Noah found it intoxicating. God’s chosen people of Israel is being called, “vineyard” by the Lord. The first ever miracle performed by the Lord Christ was when He turned the “water into wine” in a wedding in Cana. In the Lord’s Supper, wine speaks of the Lord Christ’s atoning blood of sacrifice. Paul admonished his spiritual son, Timothy to drink wine instead to his ailment that continually haunts him. Paul, the Apostle called the church in Corinth, “God’s field” referring to wine plantation. In the Book of Revelation, the “wrath of God” is described as “wine-pressing.”. Wine also speaks of debauchery and gluttony as well as judgment).

 

Turkish coffee: We do not grow coffee. Not our tradition. So we have it from Brazil. But we have it grounded here in a special way into powder like flour. We have coffee since Ottoman time that was in 14 AD. We also take coffee from Yemen. Turkish coffee is normally taken after meal.

 

Bursa Drink. That is a good Winter drink. Made from peas, it taste sour and sweet- blended. (Bursa is a place in Turkey).

 

Salep is a milk and flower based. It is also from orchid flower. It is served with cinnamon. Very tasty and refreshing. You cannot find it anywhere else.

 

We are passing Ephesus aqueduct. It is an ancient one. We still use it today. On your right is a deep ravine and you'll see an ancient water system or aqueduct. It has amazing water aqueduct since Roman empire. This is the world's largest during ancient time.

 

 

St. John Basillica

Selcuk Town. This is where archaeological museum is. Also here is the remains of St. Basilica John. We just passed by the city of Ephesus few minutes ago.

 

(Peps: “Selçuk is the central town of Selçuk district, İzmir Province in Turkey, 2 kilometres (1 mile) northeast of the ancient city of Ephesus. Its original Greek name, Agios Theologos \eferred to John the Theologian. In the 14th century, it was the capital of the Emirate of Aydin. Under the Ottoman Empire, it was known as Ayasoluk. In 1914, it was renamed Selçuk after the Seljuk Turks who first led incursions into the region in the 12th century.”)

 

Several years ago, 8 years ago, there was a seminar held by Korean Church, 14,000 people came from Korea. It was a one-week long affair. Participants went for local tours. I would like to show the hotels they gone in.

 

We are 5 km away to Ephesus. On your right is 13-km long known as Ephesus Beach. That is the Richmond, Hotel, The Convention Hotel, Palm Wings Hotel, Ephesus Hotel are just among those 5-Star hotels that housed the South Korean Christian guests before.

 

 

We are going uphill where you see the splendid view of Ephesus Beach. That is actually the Aegean Sea. Look at the fancy water park up there? Tomorrow we will leave hotel at 9am and we will go to Miletus. We can visit the Temple of Apollo. Look at this town name Kusadasi with Russian- sounding name? Our hotel is located in the city. It is very safe to go around. We have the beach and the swimming pool which you can use. There are many nice cafes along the bay. It is nice to have a walk on the waterfront.

 

 

(Peps: “ Apollo was the son of Zeus and Leto, twin brother of Artemis. He was the god of music, and he is often depicted playing a golden lyre. He was also known as the Archer, far shooting with a silver bow; the god of healing, giving the science of medicine to man; the god of light; and the god of truth. One of Apollo's most important daily tasks was to harness his four-horse chariot, in order to move the Sun across the sky. Apollo was an oracular god, as he was the prophetic deity in the Oracle in Delphi, Greece. “

 

Haven’t you noticed that Apollo is said to a he-god of the Greek, a twin-brother of Artemis, also referred as he-god? Greek historians and traditions seeming refers Artemis and other Greek gods and goddesses are convertible into male or female. This sounds the terms being used today, - transsexual and transgender. Is it our today’s generation is very much influenced with the Greek mind and culture?

 

Artemis can be he or she in other words. And I am just thinking why Mykonos, a Greek island is a favourite haven of male homosexuals and the island of Lesbos is named after a Lesbian-name. Homosexuality is very much a Greek-culture and therefore not considered “immoral” among the ancient Greeks. Today, using the word “homosexuality” in many parts of the world is considered a “human rights violations” against the so-called “Gays.”

 

In my college years in Far Eastern University (FEU) in Manila as a Psychology student major, “homosexuality” before is under the “Abnormal Psychology” but now it is taking ground in the Philippine society also in the Hall of Congress. Don’t you know that members of the Baguilat, Villarica, Villar (daughter in law of Sen. Villar); Villarin of Quezon City, Bag-o especially authored the pro-gay bill entitled, “Anti-SOGIE Discrimination Act?” And House Speaker Alvarez proudly announced he will author “same-sex marriage?”

 

Should those bills become a law and the faithful Christians will not agree or obey those laws which is against the Scriptures and their religious convictions, can they be jailed if not meted with the death penalty, if it can be passed and approved too, the way Emperor Nero and Emperor Domitian persecuted, imprisoned and executed the Christians in the Early Persecution from 1-78 A.D.? Take note of the bold underlined letter ? I made. Why? Because if my writing is a statement or conclusive and yet not in a “question for” I can be sued by the government for “libel” SEE? ).

 

 

 

Kusadasi

by Peps Kho
At 7:01 PM we finally arrived to Marina Hotel and Suites at Kusadasi, Turkey with a breath-taking view of the Aegean Sea.

 

Kusadasi is a resort town on Turkey's Aegean Sea which is 95 km away from Izmir. It has a population of merely 160,000 people and its major industry is tourism. '

 

From the third floor building of Marina Hotel where we were billeted gives you the bird--eye-view of the Marina or the bay side of the Aegean Sea where the port harbour is located

(picture8)

Left Photo: Taken from the porch of our room at Marina Bay Resorts & Hotel at Kusadasi, Turkey’s resort capital overlooking the Aegean (Greek) Sea. Right Photo: Kusadasi Marina at night.

 

 

JUN 14/ WED

9:15 A.M., Emile Meltex

The lady tourist guide…..We had a change on itinerary upon request. Today we will go in Ephesus which is just 30 minutes drive away from here. We will be staying there until noon. That's the best place for shopping. And then we will take our lunch along the way, possibly at the Carpet Making Showroom.

 

Tomorrow you will leave 12 noon from hotel. We should be at the Izmir Airport at 7PM to catch your flight to Manila.

 

Today we will go to the Ephesus Ruins . We wont be rushing. We have more time left. There are leather factory outlet there. I forgot to tell you to put your Tutku Tours shirt so that we can have a group photo tomorrow.

 

Ephesus, one of the best preserved archaeological site in the whole world. The reason, like Izmir, but it was never abandoned by the inhabitants. Ephesus is over thousands of years ago.

 

Because of the U- shaped harbour along Aegean Sea., the city has a well protected harbour. It is good protective area for the ships and any water vessel where they can stay safely when there is strong typhoon.

 

Ephesus is strategically located because of the boats and ships that docks in its is a major harbour. The harbour is big source of income in Ephesus with these foreign ships are coming in. However, there is a large river Cadmus River that flows to the Ephesus River sifting on the harbor.

 

The scriptures talks about Roman Emperor Hadrian visited the city three times in 2nd century AD. Whenever he comes, he will donate big money to clean the harbour. The harbour must be cleaned when it is silted because it suddenly become a marsh area thus becoming a good breeding ground of mosquito that causes malaria. The Ruins of Ephesus is 5 km from the sea, an area resulted from silting of the land.

 

That is why reason the city was abandoned before; Secondly, because of many earthquakes that hits city, ancient inhabitants fled away from Ephesus. Turkey is the centre of earthquake major faults.

 

City of Ephesus was destroyed almost completely more than once due to these earthquakes. When they cannot restore Ephesus anymore, they abandoned it slowly. No bathrooms to be used in Ephesus. Make sure you go first to the toilets.

 

On your right is a flat land with hills. On that slope is the ruins of a theatre, you see them remains of stadium as well ...the Aegean Sea is in front. That is dramatic change of what nature do .... Those (Ephesus lands) are unexcavated.

 

Archaeological excavation started over 100 years ago but only 20 percent have been excavated so far. Only these 20% excavated areas will tell us what happened to Ephesus

 

 

Ephesus

9:45 A.M.

We are now here at the Gate of Ephesus. Come this way please and look at the City Model that you may know how the actual city looks like...

(picture9)

Left Photo: The colonnaded street of the ancient rich city of Ephesus. Middle Photo: Overlooking

the ruins. Right Photo: An emblem with Greek inscription “victory.” What is it for us as Christians?

 

City is located between two hills stretches a city walls which is 5.5 km long. We are now in the upper city. Due to sifting of the coastline, it brought the city into stratas or eras: Hellenistic, Romans and Byzantine.

 

Yesterday I show you the Roman Aqueduct along the way and I told you how important would that be to provide water to this huge ancient city of Ephesus...it has well -planned water distribution. You find baths, water sewerage system everywhere. I talked before portico with colonnaded columns. On this Portico, it is like gym but this they call it Administrative Building.

 

Interesting, like administrative building but this is a pagan temple where Emperor is being worshipped. This have been preserved completely in marble dated 2nd BC. As I said it is being preserved completely.

 

Rhodian Peristyle, Augustan Period 27BC - 14 AD. These two pillars, earliest one designed before is Ionic. It is not Corinthian in style too. Unlike those remains which are Aionic.

 

(Peps: “The Rhodian Peristyle built in the time ... and dedicated to Julius Caesar and the goddess Roma then Augustus & Artemis. Ephesus Archaeological Site, Anatolia, Turkey” ).

 

Splendid view

That is the splendid view overlooking Aegean Sea... Dionysian column here is around 10 meters. You see a portion of Dionysian statue at the museum tomorrow. Is it he who exiled John to Patmos. Let us go down.. You're walking on a solid, original marbled pavement. 2nd AD.

 

 

Mark Fairchild

This is interesting and magnificent city. It is largest in the Iconian area. This was built in honour to Dionysian - 21 D - 97 AD,

 

Paul is a good planner but he realizes when God was already intervening. In his 2nd missionary journey, he had with him Silas on his 3rd missionary journey, God prevented him. He turned to the north - at Bithynia then the Holy Spirit prevented him. and sent him to Macedonia instead. Once again, God intervening in Paul's plan. .His plan in the beginning is to go first to the big cities like this in Anatolia but God intervening him. (PEPS: Antolia is traditionally known as the Armenian highland in Asia Minor i.e. Turkey).


Acts 19: Paul spoke there in synagogues first, not in agoras, Forum they call it where political speeches are made, .. It is all politics down here, then commerce... Otherwise no merchants, ( Rev 18). In Acts 19:9, "disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus. "

 

Paul spoke 3 months, maligned him, Paul left synagogues and he made discussion to Tyrannus. This is why archaeologist bear witness what we are reading. Who made this names up? Now we have complete evidence. They became patrons for Paul. Tyrannus family is wealthy, providing quarters for Paul. Wealthy people lives in the same district (Acts 19:8-10 ).

 

Paul teaching took him 4 years. Paul first evangelized them, then to disciple them so that when each disciple will go back to their city or hometown, they would disciple their own family as well. . Who founded the Colossae?

 

Col 2:1 "For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; ..."

 

I wrote (it) about 20 cities on my book.

 

That took places 52-53 AD. Over that time, Christians raised up, until merchants sprung, silversmiths become common making statues of Artemis... Christians are no longer buying these images until it created riots against Paul. They angrily looking for Paul yet this it is too large in the whole Anatolia to find him and they instead dragged Gauis and Aristarchus one more out of the city instead (Acts 19:29)

 

Paul heard it, he came to this city, but he was intervened by " rulers of Asia" whom later became Paul disciples. Paul took this as a sign to move in and move out again..

 

After 3 years...he again left... Later he wrote to Ephesians, whom he wrote from jail 60-62 AD. He was very tactful, strategic yet he mentioned of false teachings reaching the city in Ephesus. They don’t have bibles and pastors. These false teachers may be teaching falsely may be unintentionally. Paul wrote two letters to Timothy 1 " remain" in Ephesus who teaches strange doctrine..." Paul recognized the false teaching and it is getting worst. Alexander was mentioned as false teacher (1 Tim. 1:20). Paul concludes in 1 Timothy to remain fervent to the faith... Knowledge, non-theism. Early heresy emerges with Christianity. Non-theism does not believe Jesus blood.

 

(PEPS: Nontheism or non-theism is a range of both religious and nonreligious attitudes characterized by the absence of espoused belief in a God or gods)

1 Tim, 2 Timothy John talked about anti -Christ.

 

 

Revelation 2:1-4

"Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love."

 

In Rev. 2:7 JOhn the Beloved exhorted Ephesus saying, "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. "

 

There are good things happened in Ephesus . Paul talked on Nicolaitans....to him who overcome ... We call him Nike... Have you seen a logo of Nike?

 

Revelations describe angelic beings more than any book from the Scriptures. Rev. 18 talks on the downfall of merchants. Before Armageddon Jesus talked on the downfall of Babylon or merchant. When John talked about angelic beings we talked about the angelic wings which is Nike. Nike is God' s victory that comes in God’s time.

 

(PEPS: The word “overcome” came from the Greek word "nikao" means "to conquer". Nikao came from the root word, "nike" .i.e victorious, success. ").

 

 

Daniel Balais led the prayer.

When we came to the 7 churches. This first mentioned in the book of Revelation. This is our last church to visit. We need plenty of prayers for the Philippines. Like the Ephesians like church, they are doing good, doctrinally sound and strict, morally upright and faithful. But they left their first love.

 

Let us pray for the Philippine church to go back to our first love.

 

Second, fervour

Third, Macedonian call Philippines as Macedonian call. We have Council in the Philippines. In fact, whenever I go back I need to make a stand and makes no compromise.

 

We gather here in the city, a premier city. Paul wrote to church in Ephesus his martyrdom, talking on glorious church but many churches will also compromise. But Lord we will not leave our first love. We are willing to lay down our lives to follow you. Even as the Macedonian call. Even the School of Tyrannus. Let us be faithful and we will not compromise, we will raise up leaders- a passionate generation of leaders who are intimate with you, not even pleasing the government...

 

No other gods but only the Lord Jesus Christ, .. We pray even as we stands here where Ephesus was founded, generation of leaders with bond-slaves with ears. We pray for our missionary call, and many times you intervened Paul yet you have given him Macedonian call. Let the servants of Lold who forsook their families just follow you.

 

Wyden King’s prayer

Lord forgive our churches in the Philippines which are performance- oriented but not that passionate for you. May we become a Philadelphia Church... continue to sanctify the Philippine Bride..

 

 

Ed de Guzman’s prayer

Thanks for correcting us for our concepts. That our concept is not on success and performances. Spare us for thinking that we are failures because we have not been big churches or congregation but we present to our men and women who does not, love their own lives who will stand the test of time..

 

Thank you for the way you raised up our nation and our fathers who will take care of their children, and pass on their baton to their children..We will be criticized back to Manila, we may feel the persecution, and we may make our stand... Lord we pray that you will spare us from the spirit of materialism. Not the material things as a symbol of success. We saw people who left you because of this money. Make us faithful so that when we are gone, our children may begun to excavate, will see the layers and layers and found from the rubbles ... underneath they would see a faith generation...thanks for changing our paradigm...

Dan Balais

This is the sign that we bless the Ephesus...even we will go to the temple of Diana and we will declare that Jesus Christ is Lord. Song: " Siya ay Dios"

 

 

Emile Meltem

We go now this way. Bay or laurel leaves formed into a crown and placed on a victor's head which we call "nike" or a ” victor's crown.” This is the Temple of Hadrian which I just shared to you earlier who visited the city of Ephesus at least thrice. This is a 2nd A.D. structure.

 

 

(PEPS:
The ruins of Ephesus

"It is one of the best preserved and most beautiful structures on Curetes Street. It was built before 138 A.D by P.Quintilius and was dedicated to the Emperor Hadrian, who came to visit the city from Athens in 128 A.D The facade of the temple has four Corinthian columns supporting a curved arch, in the middle of which contains a relief of Tyche, goddess of victory. The side columns are square. The pedestal with inscriptions in front of the temple, are the bases for the statues of the emperors between 293-305 CE, Diocletian, Maximian, Constantius I, and Galerius; the originals of the statues have not been found yet.

 

Inside the temple above the door, a human figure, probably Medusa stands with ornaments of acanthus leaves. On both sides there are friezes depicting the story of the foundation of Ephesus - Androklos shooting a boar, Dionysus in ceremonial procession and the Amazons. The fourth frieze portrays two male figures, one of which is Apollo; Athena, goddess of the moon; a female figure, Androkles, Herakles, the wife and son of Theodosius and the goddess Athena. The friezes that are seen today are merely copies, and the originals are displayed in Ephesus Museum.")

 

 

Temple of Artemis. You see Artemis in many symbols and signs.

 

 

(PEPS:

"The Temple of Artemis or Artemision (also known less precisely as the Temple of Diana, was a Greek temple dedicated to the goddess Artemis. It was located in Ephesus (near the modern town of Selçuk in present-day Turkey). One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, it was completely rebuilt three times before its final destruction in 401 AD. Only foundations and sculptural fragments of the latest of the temples at the site remain.

 

The first sanctuary (temenos) antedated the Ionic immigration by many years, and dates to the Bronze Age. Callimachus, in his Hymn to Artemis, attributed it to the Amazons. In the 7th century BC, the old temple was destroyed by a flood. Its reconstruction began around 550 BC, under the Cretan architect Chersiphron and his son Metagenes, at the expense of Croesus of Lydia: the project took 10 years to complete. The temple was destroyed in 356 BC by an act of arson and was again rebuilt, this time as the Wonder.")

 

 

Mark Fairchild

It reads, " Asia..." Third time, polos, demos, consul, City was boasting " We are the guardian of Artemis.' Celsius... Is the official here C and Ottoman combined there is the real MEDUSSA.

 

(PEPS:
"Doric Temple sculpture seemed confined to a zone framed by architectural components. The pediment acts as a screen, to protect the wooden rafters from moisture. The pronounced relief sculpture in the center of the pediment, overlaps the frame and dominates the scene with bold detail, and expressive yet balanced quasi-symmetrical arrangement. The main figure is not Artemis (as we know her), but Medusa (a gorgon). Medusa and the lions by her side, ward off evil. ;. is a frightening apotropaic hex sign indeed, with her archaic hideous grin and muscular appendages positioned athletically; as her wings fan out behind her. Greeks were able to convey movement in art, without actual locomotion. The style here also reflects an oriental scheme, inherited from ancient Mycenaean architecture. There is also an ongoing narrative represented with smaller figures presenting an uneasy balance.")

 

There are around 10,000 books in Ephesus, the 3rd largest library in the whole world, next only to Library of Pergamum, 2nd largest; Library of Alexandria, the world's largest library.

 

There are 3 female statues which have been inscribed there on the portals of Library of Celsus. Inscriptions written on those stones which are quite important to them namely: wisdom; knowledge, virtue

 

This is not only commercial but also intellectual area, There is also agora where Paul is said to be making tents to support his ministry. Paul was frequenting the agora because right there is what he makes his own living in 3 AD. Third column on the right, on top of that man, there is a sign there that you shall not miss - MENORRA. But no synagogue found so far.

 

 

(Peps :

“The Library of Celsus is an ancient Roman building in Ephesus, Anatolia, now part of Selçuk, Turkey. It was built in honour of the Roman Senator Tiberius Julius Celsus Polemaeanus, completed between circa 114–117 CE by Celsus' son, Gaius Julius Aquila (consul, 110 AD). The library was "one of the most impressive buildings in the Roman Empire" and built to store 12,000 scrolls and to serve as a mausoleum for Celsus, who is buried in a crypt beneath the library in a decorated marble sarcophagus. The Library of Celsus was the "third-largest library in the ancient world" behind both Alexandria and Pergamum.”

 

Imagine yourself walking to the past. This is when the science of archaeology comes in.Many Christians were misled by a lie of the enemy that Science is fleshly, demonic and anti - Christ. Science is God Himself. Why? Because Logos is wisdom and the knowledge of God, the Word that became flesh. Logo as the Word of God is what the word spoken in the Book of Genesis that created all things and nothing has been made without the Word (Gen. 1:2-3; John 1:1-3).

 

I love Geography as well as History. Geo means land, nations, and states. Geography speaks of distances, times and places. And every distance or place and time has its own origin and history. Time is being measured by distances and in those distances (places travelled) were events that incurred among humans that speak of history.

 

As I looked for a shade where I could rest and protect myself from hurting, glaring sun at past noon, most of my fellow- Filipinos are still lingering around this huge ruins of the past. Though Mediterranean offers a crispy cool climate it is also hot as well in this part of Aegean Sea. I heard one tourist guide explaining and said, " those are written decrees from various emperors," then she pointed her finger to various large slabs from the ruins bearing Greek inscriptions on them. That is when science applies again. Each one needs education, reading and writing as fields of sciences for us to communicate, understand, trade, explore, etc.)

 

Nymphaeum Traiani

Fountain Building donated by Tiberius Claudius Aristion, 102 AD. In Honour of Artemis of Ephesus and Emperor Trajan AD98-117. It is 9.5 meter high, a foundation of three side with Trajan statue with a globe under his feet, stood over the water outlet,

 

The Nymphaeum of Trajan is a 2C AD building with two stories built by an Ephesian in memory of the Emperor Trajan. In front of the building there was a pool with water cascading from beneath the colossal statue of Trajan. One foot of his statue can still be seen. The pool was flanked by the building on three sides. The facade of the building is highly ornate with Corinthian columns on the upper story and Composite columns on the lower. Statues of other emperors, gods and heroes stood in niches.

 

 

Point of Interests:

  • Library of Celsus. The Library of Celsus is an ancient Roman building in Ephesus, Anatolia, now part of Selçuk, Turkey. It was built in honour of the Roman Senator Tiberius Julius

  • Terrace Houses. Ephesus terrace houses are located on the hill, opposite the Hadrian Temple. Also called as "the houses of rich".

  • Curetes Street. Is where Ephesus Ancient City, House of Virgin Mary, Artemis Temple Basilica of St John can be found.

  • Upper Gate. Also known as Magnesia Gate (Upper Gate) located on the road going to the House of Mary. The photograph at the top is the Upper Gate. Under the trees is the gate the ruins. To the right of the gate are various stores and restaurants. One can also find parking space here. Across the road from the gate is a field with remains of what was thought to be the grave of St. Luke, where a church was later built on top of a former temple. Going down the road towards Selçuk is the actual Magnesia Gate itself, the only ancient gate still visible at Ephesus. It was first built in the city walls by Lysimachus in the 3rd century and magnificently restored by Vespasian (69-79). There was once a sacred road leading from the Temple to Artemis around Mt. Panayir to this gate. Damianus built this colonnaded road in the 2nd century.

 

 

Temple of Domitian. (Where we prayed for from Philippines). Temple Atlas to Imperial cult Emperor Domitian . AD 81-96, after his death and condemnation of his memory. After the victory of Christianity, it was torn down to its foundation and today it is completely disappeared.

 

Meltem speaking

COAB. That Is where some women work. Carpet-making as a tradition is dying. Originally, they are nomads. Turks are known as carpet weavers in the world. Antique carpets are known from Turkey. The most oldest carpet is from Turkey.Women can only do that... Laughs..Yes! Because women are patient sitting down on long hours, days on making knots before a lamp. This what coop is all about. Women's coop.

 

Efes is Ephesus.... We will take our lunch there at the Cooperative. They will provide us with the traditional fita.

 

1:30 PM: Carpet Making

Hereke Carpet Weavers Association. Hereke is unique weaving center located at the northern edge of Izmit Bay. It is recognized for producing the finest hand- knotted carpets in the world.

 

Sultan Abdulmecid, an Ottoman emperor established Hereke Imperial factory in 1843 to produce carpets exclusively for Ottoman Court.

 

Look at these lady carpet-weavers. They been doing this for 3 months. It is 3,000 year carpet-making technique. These women are being trained to give them jobs. Otherwise they will be given to marriage at early age.

 

Bird -Island

Kusadasi means "bird island." So many birds here. If you notice people feeds them

even on the streets...If you will take a look at the statue there at the marina which is in the very heart of the city, you will see a birds on bronze images being fed by the human hands as the very character of the place.

 

Marina

See the beach. It is clean. You can swim there. It is close enough that you can walk from your hotel. Nice coffee houses (hundreds of them), good ake shops, boutiques .. .They accept major credit cards.. Migros Supermaket, they offer almost everything. You can find it everywhere.

 

 

 

PEPS
Missing the bus

Miscommunication? I hailed a Yellow Taxi with plate number 32 V 8210 to run after my comrades.

 

Visa Problem

I pointed out earlier during our briefing that Patmos is geographically a part of Greece unless otherwise it is NOW politically a part of Turkey.

 

Signs and Wonders including Turkish Airlines have taken for granted the concern that eventually displaced completely that part of itinerary which could have been the highlight of this journey or exodus.

 

Dropping Patmos from the itinerary is because of visa problem not just to Greece but to Turkish visa also. Turkish Embassy in Manila has provided us only a single entry visa.

 

Should we have a return journey to Patmos, Greece from Turkey, we should have been provided a Turkish multiple visa. Otherwise a single entry visa to Turkey will hold us up in Greece and much more problem later on.

 

JUN 15/FRI: 7:59 AM

 

Peps:

Bon Vivant. Turkish Delight is known as popular bon vivant (gourmet) in the whole world. I had experienced this mouth- twisting Turk's gourmet.

 

 

Patmos, Greece

Emile Meltem speaking:

Patmos is a Greek island. There are many Islands in Greece that created problems among Turkey and Italy. When war started, the islands are even more become strategic and...

 

Almost all the islands in Aegean belongs to the Greeks and only three of these islands belong to Turkish and all the rest belong to Greece. Because you are leaving Turkey you need another entry to Turkey. If you come again... Laughs.... I hope you will come back, we may as well have better communication.

 

Patmos is a 4 - hour journey. We hired a boat. Supposedly we should have left 5:30 AM by boat and go through Customs and Immigration.. Some Greeks immigration officers are nice..

 

Patmos is a cave church of John where he received the revelation but now it is a building. Often we go to monastery. This is how it is. If you stay there overnight, the cost will be more higher because the private boat must also stay with you, you see? It is a nice sea journey. The waters is so blue. Normally I give sea pills whenever someone have seasickness. Alright...

 

Daniel Balais

Thank you for the whole trip.... Thank you for Mhel, Mark and Levant ... and their loved ones. Let those where we tread upon may be given peace and let your glory Lord remains there.

 

Nona Londonio

We have collected love gift to bless these people who joined us with the following allocation to each.:Levant, our driver....$ 600; Mark Fairchild......... $ 700; our Tourist Guide, Emile Meltem........ $1,300

 

 

Meltem speaking again:

ATATURK

This building... Recycled stones coming from Ephesus, many of them from Ephesus..

 

St. John Castle & Cathedral

12:30 PM

 

The temple or cathedral was constructed in 7th BC. This is the world's biggest marble temple. And Ephesus is so proud about this. This is the most important temple in the world during that time. It like the Vatican of the Catholics, or the Mecca among the Muslims. Yet, it also became source of money as well. Ephesus Temple brings much income during that time. It does not only attracts thousands of religious pilgrims like you, but it also promotes its lucrative tourism.

 

It is a big business for the goldsmith and the silversmith when they can showcase their locally made images, figurines and statues made up of stone, clay, bronze silver or gold that when Christianity flourished in this area, this affected their local business that spark riots in the city which is trade- related problem that roused civil tension against Paul resulting to the mobbing against Paul's disciples named Gaius and Aristarchus (Acts 19:23-29).

 

Like a little tourism business and they don’t want to lose it.

 

The Temple was destroyed by earthquake more than once. In the middle 1800's, a British engineer Wood found the Artemis figures and carried it to United Kingdom. It is now there in the British Museum.

 

(PEPS: Research says, “In 1869, a British railroad engineer & archaeologist, John Turtle Wood, discovered the remains of the Temple of Artemis 20ft under the sand. He was sponsored by the British Museum and the excavations continued until 1874. Although the temple was in ruins, he was able to find several numbers of precious sculptures and archaeological items and these were sent to British Museum. Today the archaic remains of the Temple of Artemis are displayed in room 82 at the British Museum in London, UK. In British Museum, there are several archaeological remains from the Ancient city of Ephesus and The Temple Artemis that are spread to different galleries according to their date and category,”

 

In other words, British Museum under the Government of England can sponsors “looting or thievery” in the sake of arts and antiquity? Or is the same spirit that is in the church today? We loot God’s sheep and we call them ours? Or we loot the Church’s tithes or treasury as if our own peggy banks? Same, same. History repeats by itself.

 

Santayana said, “Those who never learned from history are doomed to repeat it.” ).

Meltem speaking

Big pieces like marbles, etc. are no more longer \with us but they were brought to the four corners of the world by those people who excavated this temple. They are at least 127 columns reportedhere, the most prominent is the Artemis Temple which is very fancy building. But today is just like that - a ruin. Ruins is the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus.

 

 

St. John Church

The Castle was built from the Byzantine Period. That was the time of the Crusader in 11th AD. Meanwhile, St. John Cathedral was built in the 7th A.D. It was Emperor Hadrian who paid for this restoration.

 

Domitian was assassinated because he was a terrible emperor. So St.John came back to Ephesus. He was the oldest disciple who died on a natural death.

 

Apostle John lived here for some time until he passed away. There he was when he died there on that spot. Then they built from there a small church, then a larger church, then they built a Basilica in his memorial right here. It is Byzantine kind of building.

 

It is covered with marble dome. Look at this crosses in Byzantine. And lots of graffiti, hundreds of them, written as prayers or wishes by the pilgrims.

 

MARK FAIRCHILD

John wrote 5 books. He warned us in 1 John of false prophets and of the spirit of anti Christ, false teachings..he wrote elder Gauis 3 John and admonished us to walk in the truth, in truth, in truth , in contrast with the deceivers...

 

Diotrephe was described as a person who wanted to be the first and does not want to find the truth and that he refused the two brothers and he kicked them out of the church. We are bearers of the truth, and we are ambassadors of truth...

 

( PEPS: Diotrephe was mentioned in 3 John 1:9 is a person who is bida-bida in the church. This type of spirit or person have this messianic- oedipus complex personality, a pre-eminent attitude)

 

 

Jesus is Lord Mosque?

"Look a church and mosque standing side by side peacefully," says Meltem.

 

The Lord Jesus Christ Mosque

The Muslims believe Christ as a prophet. So we have a common ground. The name of this mosque is Eisa Bay Mosque means "Jesus is Lord Mosque." This mosque is named after him (Jesus Christ).Look at this single column and broken piece of Artemis, it is 6th century BC.

 

Daniel Balais led the prayer

Truth, love and revelation. Thank you that the Muslim recognized the Jesus Christ is Lord. We pray in this site of your love, truth and revelation

 

Wyden King

Love.. Give us the heart like the heart of John the beloved, in as much he love much Jesus, may you give us as a church with such love that we may know more of your heart, in as much you have revealed yourself much to John because he loved you so much...

 

Ed de Guzman

Truth... Truth is truth and it cannot be compromised. And when it comes to God it is non negotiable. We as your children should not compromise the truth. Thank you that you are revealing to us the truth even as we as families and church remain as truthful

 

Pastor Joel

Increase the revelation to your people and even to non believers so that they too may know the truth especially here in Turkey that they may know that Jesus is the Son of God.

 

 

Daniel Balais

Reading John 1:1-14....We may have not gone to Patmos but we have been here at the Church of St. john...as we come to this place which once he walked as we witness the True Light....We anoint this place as your presence upon us will be fulfilled.

 

PEPS: We had our lunch at Copsis Restaurant at 2:00 PM. It will be our last taste of Turkish gourmet but almost everyone have been looking forward to go back to the Philippines and starving like crazy for sinigang or tuyo.

 

Efez (Ephesus) Museum

Meltex, the tour guide

 

This is a local museum. No flash photography. A lots of Ephesians remains are now being displayed by British in their National Museum in London, Louvre Museum in Paris and , Metropolitan Museum in New York City and in other parts of the world.

 

Mark Fairchild

It is in this sight, that the Constantine, saw a vision from Christ that saysm, "In this sign, conquer," then suddenly a sign of Cross appeared on the sky right before the eyes of emperor Constantine...You see that sarcophagus with Christ inscriptions. All what you see in this museum are original.

 

(Peps " sarcophagus is a stone-coffin normally made for the kings and emperors)

 

You see that Gallery of ivory frieze, It's a 2nd AD Show Emperor Trajan .. That Snakes has a meaning. Remember Pergamon associated with god Asklepios with two snakes on his cup?

 

That is for wealthy people. These found in houses from furniture made up of ivory. For. Archaeologist, they put them together for 5 years.

 

Ephesus is considered one among the oldest civilization dated back 6,000 B.C. - 2,600 BC. Indigenous. Its Neolithic, when humans makes their own tools for a living. They made flintstone and obsidian as stones. Then it was followed by Bronze Period from 3000-1050 BC. Bronze Age is revolution to humans. Swords, needles, spears, axe, rod ....Tomb robbers of course

 

(Peps: If you remember that late Sen Mirrim Santiago authored a bills that penalize tomb-raiders. Tomb-raiders are tomb-robbers who looks for the valuable remains of the departed. In the same way, history tell us that even the ancient Scriptures gather "spoils" from that raids that they have made. Hitler also enriched himself with several valuable items confiscated from the Holocaust, some of them have said that precious paintings and scupltures are seen hanging in St. Peter Basilica in Vatican City. Remember President Saddam Hussein of Iraq when he raided Kuwait and taken its gold from the Central Bank of Kuwait. In time of war, looting is one among it deadly game). The same goes during the End-times of course - Peps.

 

 

Emile Meltem

Crucifix inscriptions out there. It is very important inscriptions as it is written from the scriptures and this was done or discovered in the harbour. The reason was that it was the harbour, the economy, the bloodline. Here is the list of people who donated money to construction the harbour. These show the wealthy and insignificant people. Tyrannas, remember that name? This is a bronze made between 3rd-'7th century

 

Ancient Turkey

Neolithic, 6,000 BC. They worshipped mother god, Mother Goddess, this is Ankara statue. The statue depicts a woman giving birth. There are leopards protecting her. Her tummy is bulging. Through ancient civilization, this cult goddess is already existing.

  • Ana Tanrica...Mother goddess 5750 BC

  • Kubaba or Hittites....Also have mother goddess, Kubaba. 9th centurykubaba ( Hitit) 9th. CENTURY BC

  • Kybele. Or Phyrigian. 6th century.Now found in Artemis.Each column is 18 meters high. Ephesians are so proud of this temple and they also make money out of it.

  • Artemis discovered 1869 by British engineer named J. T. Wood. He later excavated the Statue of Artemis and shipped it to U. K.

  • Buyuk Artemis...1st century BC

  • Frieze of the temple run of Hadrian. 3-4'c. BC

  • The Altar of Domitian Temple. 1 st century A.D.

  • Reliefs of the Parthian Monument. 170 AD. One of the most important monument is the Parthian Monument situated nearby the Celsus Library..lThe relief depicts the war of Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus against the Parthians..... All the Parthian fragments are now at Wien Museum

 

4:15 PM

"That is for today. We finished our tour," says Meltem.

 

PEPS: And I could feel the deep heaving sigh from all of us as if there was a sort of lonely feeling of breaking us apart from Meltem Mark and Levant for nearly 7 days of tour all over Turkey.

 

 

TOLAR

by Peps Kho

Tolar is Turkey's most prominent manufacturer of leather jacket.

 

It's building is built along the main road with spacious parking space that can accommodate more or less 20 big buses. They offer the best silk leather, the softest, the lightest leather because it is made up from the sheep.

 

We were usher their nice and beautiful carpeted reception hall with warm guest relations staff and we given a cold apple tea as were whisked inside a mini theater with a ramp on a middle.

 

When we were all seated, they suddenly switched it off until a jerky sounds filled the room, followed with laser light until male and female models started coming out with their fashionable leather jackets on showing off to the clients.

 

What followed next after the 20- minute fashion show of leather jackets is ushering us to their spacious leather show rooms to explains the materials and prices. he cheapest jacket is $ 980.00 and most fetches up as much as $4,900.00 a piece. At least 5-6 people from our group bought leather jackets from this shop.

 

 

Peps

Ephesus - Izmir, Turkey

At 5:39 PM, we were all on board the tourist bus bound for Izmir to catch our domestic flight to Istanbul and get our connecting flight back to Manila

 

Emile Meltem

Travelling is tiring. It is so tiring to catch up time, it is so tiring to transfer from one place to another, it so tiring catching up our hectic schedule, and tiring having another pillow cases, and others. It is just so tiring..

 

But yes! Yes you learned a lot from this journey. When you gets home and when everything is settled down, and when you hear news on Turkey, You quickly gets something in your hearts concerning Turkey.

 

Hope you have a good time when you get home, to your country, to your church.

 

Turkey has lots to offer, but what is more important is about the people. Id like to meet you again, and I love you. In behalf of our staff, Mark Fairchild, a wonderful friend and teacher. I've known him many years, 15 years may be. And my good driver Levant for carrying our luggage on and off the bus, cleaning our bus, etc.

 

Mark Fairchild

I thank you for giving me a chance to be with you, loving me and for accepting me. It was Tutku Tour owner who invited me to join you here... I am refreshed by your faith. Paul talks on koinonia. You must know our fellowship is not merely by our local church but though the global church.

 

I saw and heard you had that koinonia, with Tarzanian group at Ephesian Theater today,

 

Our American culture is more intimate with baseball or football games and I see that intimacy when you meet the Tarzanian Christians when you have such sweet fellowship, exchanging songs with them at Ephesus temple. Nothing like that which I've seen such passionate, like yours, unlike in my country. I hope to see you next year. I see an abundance..

 

 

Daniel Balais

Thank you for naming this bus after me. ( Laughs).. I don’t have Turkey in my heart not until the Lord, put a burden to me when God told me to pray and visit personally the twenty two (22) nations in the Middle East. And from there Asia Minor or Turkey as a country came into the picture.

 

I knew Mark, Mel, Levant... The first time, we heard from Mark that night, I knew there was a connection... We saw how beautiful the people are, the way you love the cats, the dogs, the beasts, the forest. Hope to see you in the Philippines..Mel, Mark, Levant.

 

Be rest assured we will pray for Turkey, we have your flag in our church, be well assured...Sorry for our late because we are islands people, from the rising of the sun...he he he.... May the Lord bless you...

 

Meltem

Just last word. This is my first time to handle a Filipino group. For 28 years, I never have handled a Filipino. I am touched. I truly enjoyed your company. You are very warm. You are very sincere. And I love you... And God bless you....

 

Peps Kho

At 7:00 PM we arrived at Izmir Domestic Airport to get our connecting flight to Istanbul to Manila at 2350H. 21 of this Filipinos left to Via Istanbul to Manila while the other 5 took another flight to Doha, Qatar to take their flight back to Manila.

 

Doha, Qatar

If I may remember, it was sometime between June 1-2 when we climbed Mt. Sinai, Egypt. We arrived Jerusalem by June 3.

 

Between June 8, the so- called bilateral relations of Qatar between 4 Middle East countries have been severed due to ISIS. These countries that cut off their bilateral ties with Qatar and Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Egypt ( where we have came from and prayed for). The next few days more countries severed their ties with Qatar.

 

What is then the relationship between our prayers and visit to his country of Egypt to Qatar?

 

Wind

At around 9:30 PM as our domestic flight from Izmir is about to take off to Istanbul, a word "wind" suddenly appeared in a vision. We left Istanbul at 1:30 AM, Friday 16th June. And we arrived at NAIA on the same day at 5:20 P.M. I saw in our Turkish Flight TV monitor a news that says,

 

"D-8,$3.7Trillion powerhouse, marks 20" as reported by Dilara Zongin from Ankara, Turkey...On JUne 15, 2017, the D-8 was launched after Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan proposed a creation of an economic group consisting of 8 emerging economies from the Muslim world. Alongside with Turkey, Indonesia, Bangaladesh, Egypt, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria and Pakistan created an organization based in Istanbul. today it has acombined GDP of $3.7-Trillion and includes more than 1 billion people - around 15% of the world's population. Two of its meebrs - Turkey and Indonesia - are amog the group of the 20 biggest economies in the world."

 

The creation of "D-8" was surprisingly the very day when we prayed at the ruins of 7th A.D. St. John's Church in Ephesus, Turkey from 12:30 P.M. fronting Eisa Bay Mosque (Jesus us Lord Mosque).

 

What is the relation of the so-called "D-8" which was recently organized Muslim Group in this former 7th-18th Century Ottoman Empire that raised up the world's fastest religious Islamic faith covering nearly all over the earth from Asia Minor, Europe and Africa that caused a great set-back and decline to Christianity?

 

It is worth -noted here that it was during the reign of Sultan Suleimah the Magnificent that displaced the Byzantine Period under its first Christian Roman Emperor Constantine that declared the Christianity as the Roman's official and state religion? Traditions and history tells that during the Ottoman Empire that Christian martyrdom took place in Asia Minor when Constantine was martyred as well as putting into exile, John the Beloved in the island of Patmos in Greece where he received the Revelations of the End-Time Events to the Seven Churches of Asia.


What then is the "D-8" relations to the forthcoming global economies that will soon rise to the coming of the beast in Revelation 3:15-18?

 

"And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six. " - Rev. 3:15-18

 

Geopolitics

Geopolitics is not merely about political maneuver on geographical area or location that pertain to governance.

 

How to play the economy of the world is always considered the "bloodline of nation". Whoever controls the purse controls the world including the religion and the faith-based systems globally that may raise up the beast as the Scriptures have foretold.

 

It is a matter of understanding how we face the fierce challenges that beset us as a Church and as Christians... As John the Beloved warns, "He who has ears, let him hear what the Spirit of the Lord is saying to the churches."

 

Maranatha!

 

God bless the Philippines and the whole world whom Christ has redeemed by His most precious blood.

 

Manila Arrival via TK 84 ISTMNL finally landed at NAIA at 6:15 P.M. of the same day.

 

Unfinished Business

The Book of Acts is unfinished business of God that you and I must play a role. Either we are for Him or against Him and time foretells.

 

The re-enactment we made as 1,200 believers in Jerusalem or the 550 believers in Egypt and Mount Sinai; and 29 other Filipino intercessors in Asia Minor (Turkey) may be re-tracing the rich historical past of the saints in preparation to the future generation of the Church today.

 

We mark the future. And we trace our rich spiritual heritage to bring us back to the right track of God. We cannot afford to miss this time compared to the a million of Jews who died in the wilderness without reaching the Promise Land.


We are closing in shortly. The Church must end according to the Dispensation (Plan of God i.e. Eschatology). The curtain call is near. Either we performed out best or worst it is for God to judge. Who are we to judge anyway? God will either commend us or rebuke us in the same way He commended only Philadelphia and Smyrna while He rebuked the rest of the other five churches.

 

 

NOTES:

  • You may see some of mis-spelled names of persons, places or events, bear with me. I normally take down notes using my I-Pod and scribbling notes under the sun. That isn't easy.

  • ◾MY NOTES is for my personal consumption. But I do take down notes for my personal reference and I just want to share this with you. It is too hard to take notes as you are walking tailing the tour-guide wherever she goes and taking down snapshots of those debris or ruins.

  • ◾Taking down notes according to historical facts and traditional stories are equally important with the photos taken on those sights. They are proofs to speak up the truth.

  • ◾Like Bereans, we are not merely hearers. We should also refer them to the experts, make thorough research and do a lot of readings as well.

  • ◾ Writing is so tiring really. But inscriptions as the biologist-archaeologist-Bible scholar Mark Fairchild said is VERY IMPORTANT. There could be no BIBLE today without encoders or writers.

  • ◾But most of all, we need the Scriptures and the enlightenment of the Spirit of God who is our Great Teacher

  • And for those who prayed for us as a family to bring this PILGRIMAGE from Egypt- Israel- Asia Minor, a reality and to those who sacrificially donated their own precious savings and money – I say thank you very much. The well-spent P580,000.00 ticket fare, hotel and accommodations expenses is truly beyond my understanding how the Lord provided. For Him the glory and honour and praise.

  • It is indeed there when the Lord spoke to me in 2014 while praying in the Wailing (Western Wall. He said, “You and your whole family will come back here.” Truly, the Word of God is true.

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