Lod (Lydda) is an ancient city in Israel established by the Tribe of Benjamin
(I Chronicles 8: 12) during the Israelite occupation of the land after their forty years of wandering in the desert. Also known as Lydda, this beautiful city is located in the Plain of Sharon near the seaport of Joppa. The modern day city is rich in history and is located 9 miles southeast of Tel Aviv, and north of the city of Jerusalem. Ben Gurion International Airport is the main airport for Israel. The prophet Isaiah speaks of the beauty of the Plain of Sharon in his prophetic book (Is. 35:2).

One of the most well known natives of Lod on the Plain of Sharon was Saul the son of Kish. Saul, the Benjamite, was the first King of Israel. He was confirmed as king by Samuel after a great battle (1 Samuel 11: 12-15). Saul was thirty years old when he became King of Israel. His reign lasted forty-two years. When Saul began his reign he was humble with a heart that was obedient to the God of Israel. As time went on his heart changed and in the end God turned against him and had Nathan anoint David to be king. The royal line was taken away from Saul and given to the house of David of the Tribe of Judah.

A short distance from Lod was the seaport of Joppa where the apostle Peter had travelled many times. A woman given to good works called Tabitha in the Aramaic language lived there. You might know her better as Dorcas (Greek). The story of Dorcas merited only a few verses in Acts 9: 36-43. This woman was loved by the people of Joppa.

Dorcas was a seamstress and made clothes for the widows and the poor of Joppa. She must have been a woman of means who gave away the clothing she made for the people. Her generous nature was revealed to Peter when they people sent for him to come. She was loved! He was taken into the house where the widows and children were weeping because Dorcas had died. They begged him to help. Most of us would have thought that Dorcas was beyond all help.

Peter had walked with the Master for three years. He had watched Jesus Christ die on the cross. He was there at the Resurrection. Peter was with the one hundred and twenty on the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Ghost came into the Upper Room like a rushing mighty wind! Peter could hear the echoes of Jesus voice saying, John 14: 12 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. Peter knew what faith and prayer could do.

Peter put everyone out of the room and closed the door. He knelt down and began to pray. The scripture does not tell us how long he prayed. However, we know that he prayed until he felt the power of God upon him. He turned to the dead woman and spoke to her. Tabitha, arise! Dorcas opened her eyes and looked at Peter! She sat up and Peter brought her out of the room and presented her to the people who had been weeping over her!

The news that Dorcas had been raised from the dead spread throughout the community! God used Peter to perform a miracle that brought many people to believe on Jesus Christ!

Joppa was where Peter had the vision about unclean meats (Acts 10: 9-16) that led him to Caesarea and the house of Cornelius. The results of this visit led to salvation being offered to the Gentiles.

Lod and Joppa (Jaffa) are ancient cities that survived the ages and are thriving today in Israel. The modern port of Jaffa is also rich in history. This is the port where Jonah found a ship to take him in the opposite direction to Ninevah (Jonah 1: 3) when he was running from God and wound up in the belly of the fish. Solomon floated the Cedars of Lebanon (2 Chronicles 2: 16) from this sea port when he built the Temple. During the Turkish period the sea port of Jaffa was entrance point for the pilgrims who journeyed to the Holy Land. Today the port of Jaffa continues to play a part in the history of Israel and the Middle East.