The heavens are yours, and yours also the earth;
Psalm 89:11-12
you founded the world and all that is in it.
You created the north and the south;
Tabor and Hermon sing for joy at your name.
We said good-bye to the Sea of Galilee and turned our car southwest. Driving through the hills of Lower Galilee, we eventually reached our next destination: Mount Tabor. This distinctive mountain can be seen for miles around and easily identified by its distinctive shape.
At the top today is a Franciscan church which remembers Jesus’ transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-13). While this mountain has been the traditional place of the event, many (including myself) feel Mount Hermon fits the bill better, since it’s near Caesarea Philippi (Jesus had been in that region a week before the transfiguration).
Stretching out before us below was the Jezreel Valley. Surround on hills on most sides, this wide, flat valley was a major trade crossroads in ancient times. Below us Deborah and Barak fought the Midianites. Unfortunately it was hazy while we were there.
When you reach the top of the mountain, the only way to go next is down. Driving into the Jezreel Valley, we headed west towards Nazareth, where we would be spending the next night. Immediately south of the modern city is a ridge. Ancient Nazareth was in a bowl, surrounded on hills by all sides. Today the city has expanded to spill out of the bowl. The southern hill of the bowl looks over the city to the north and the Jezreel Valley to the south.
