Today began in a slightly sunnier Haifa, where we stayed in a lovley boutique hotel in the old German quarter. Our first stop was at the ancient city of Megiddo. The ruins date back at least 5000 years. Evidence of at least 25 separate civilizations is visible in the archaelogical digs. This was one of the Canaanite cities conquered by Joshua. Like so many ruins we have visited it was just amazing to walk around a place with so much history. Megiddo also overlooks the valley thought to be Armegeddon mentioned in John's vision in Revelation.
We then headed west for the Sea of Galilee. The region is fertile, with banana, avocado and grain crops dotting the winter landscape. We stopped at the Mount of Beatitudes where tradition has it that Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount. It was amazing to walk around a place where Jesus preached a sermon I immersed myself in for so many months last year. The site overlooks a natural ampitheatre that spills down to the shores of the lake. It was not hard to imagine the crowds straining to hear Jesus' voice.
Back on the bus, we then traveled down to the foot of the mountain and I had the chance to dip my hand in the lake. A short distance away, we pulled into Capernaum where Jesus based his three year ministry on Galilee. This stop was an amazing highlight of the whole week. The1st century ruins are incredible. This was where Jesus healed the paralytic, where he healed the man with the withered hand and where he called Matthew to follow him.
We then bused around to the east side of the lake where we had some lunch before boarding a boat to travel back to a small village just north of Tiberius. Here there is a boat excavated from the mud. It has been dated to the first century and may well have been known by Jesus and his disciples, and perhaps even used by them.
At the end of the day we headed to the southern end of the lake and the Jordan river where there is a site where Christian pilgrims are baptized in the river. The river is bordered bumy Australian eucalpyts and is eerily similar to home. The baptism site is also a way too overcommercialized for me. The day finished at a kibbutz on the southern shore where I am typing this now. Nice.
What a day. It is amazing to see the region where Jesus conducted most of his ministry. A beautiful place where place names from the bible are visible from any place on the lake. Capernaum, Bethsaida, Tiberius, Sepphoris.... I am truly blessed.
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