“To me this is like the days of Noah, when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth. So now I have sworn not to be angry with you, never to rebuke you again.Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you. Isaiah 54:9-10 Galilee is divided into two sub-regions: Upper and Lower Galilee. Upper is in the north, while lower is in the south. Their names come from […]
Category Archives: Travel
Rocky Waters
Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea– the LORD on high is mighty. Psalm 93:4 The northwest corner of modern Israel is at a point known as Rosh Hanikra (meaning “head of the grottos”). At this point, a tall hill extends all the way into the water, forming the border with Lebanon. The churning waves have carved out 200 meters of caverns within the soft, chalky mount. It’s a fun destination to visit. It boasts the steepest cable car in the world at 60 degrees. While of no archaeological significance, the place […]
Ancient Pixels
Herod also built a wall about Sepphoris (which is the security of all Galilee), and made it the metropolis of the country. Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews 18:27 Heading north from Nazareth, we headed for the nearby Zippori National Park (Sepphoris). Rebuilt by Herod Antipas while Jesus was growing up, it needed scores of builders. Herod made the city his capital until he built Tiberias about two decades later. Many speculate that Jesus’ father, Joseph, could have used his skills there. In contrast to the tiny Jewish village of Nazareth, Sepphoris became a bustling Greco-Roman city. The site is best […]
O Little Town of Nazareth
…and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene.” Matthew 2:23 While Nazareth was a small village in Jesus’ time, it’s a bustling city today. Given its connection to Jesus, it’s a more populated place than it would otherwise be. There are multiple churches remembering Mary being visited by the angel Gabriel and being told she would given birth to the Messiah. In the midst of the busy modern city, there’s a place that helps tourists to see what the the land was like […]
On Top of the Valley
The heavens are yours, and yours also the earth; 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. Psalm 89:11-12 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 […]
Cliff Faces
He who walks righteously and speaks what is right, who rejects gain from extortion and keeps his hand from accepting bribes, who stops his ears against plots of murder and shuts his eyes against contemplating evil–this is the man who will dwell on the heights, whose refuge will be the mountain fortress. His bread will be supplied, and water will not fail him. Isaiah 33:15-16 When Herod the Great was given the kingship of Israel by Rome, he still needed to secure it. His Jewish subjects didn’t all like the idea of him being king. One of the resistance points […]
Ancient Harbors
As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him. Matthew 4:18-20 Jesus visited some of the fishing villages on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. We visited them, too. Imagine Jesus and his disciples sailing in a boat like this: Despite being a fishing town, Bethsaida isn’t on the shore today. It is […]
Camel-town
For it was situated upon a rough ridge of a high mountain, with a kind of neck in the middle; where it begins to ascend, it lengthens itself and declines as much downward before as behind, insomuch that is like a camel in figure. Josephus, The Jewish War, IV, 1 Situated northeast of the Sea of Galilee is an ancient town called Gamla. While not mentioned in the Bible, it would have been in existence during Jesus’ time. Its claim to fame was during the First Jewish Revolt. Vespasian and his troops besieged and destroyed the city. Today it is […]
Huleh Valley
Directly north of the Sea of Galilee is the Huleh Basin. The Jordan River starts at places like Dan and Banias and flows here on its way to the Sea of Galilee. However, it runs into a problem. Immediately north of the lake is the Rosh Pina Sill, which partially blocks the water from its route, making it back up in the basin to form swampland. It was an important resting place for migrating birds traveling between Europe and Africa. The ancient roads wouldn’t have gone through this area. Instead they would have gone on either the west or east […]
Volcanoes
He will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. Micah 4:3 When asked to think about the geography of Israel, what comes to mind? Maybe deserts, rolling hills, or steep V-shape canyons. Do volcanoes come to your mind? As strange as it may seem, there are extinct volcanoes in Israel, especially in the Golan Heights. Once you drive out of the rift to the east, […]