Northern Israel

Chris at Nabi Shu'ayb

Prior to Church Services we went for a short excursion which included a visit to the tomb of
Nabi Shu'ayb  meaning "the Prophet Jethro"
In Islamic and Druze tradition, it is believed that towards the end of his life, Shu'ayb took refuge in a cave outside Hittin, where he eventually died of old age. His followers buried him at the site and placed a tombstone at his grave. Another Druze tradition holds that Saladin had a dream the night prior to his battle against the Crusaders at Hittin. In the dream, an angel promised him victory on the condition that after the battle, he would ride his horse westward; then, where the horse would stop, the angel said he would find the burial site of Shu'ayb. The tradition holds that when Saladin's dream was realized, the Druze built a shrine for Shu'ayb at the site.
  

Scott at burial site of Prophet Jethro

Scott and Staci at Nabi Shu'ayb park

Balcony of Galilee Branch House overlooks Sea of Galilee

The Galilee Branch House has a beautiful overlook of the Sea of Galilee.  We were hosted for the evening by Carl and Melanie Harris who are the Service Couple in charge of the Northern Part of Israel.  We slept on comfortable air mattresses.

Ready for Church at Galilee Branch

We had the opportunity of attending Sabbath services in Tiberius at the Galilee Branch House overlooking the beautiful Sea of Galilee.  It was testimony meeting and our group of 7 outnumbered the rest of the Branch members that day.  This allowed Scott and Ben a chance to participate in the Sacrament portion of the meeting.  We all had the opportunity to bear testimony and Christine even provided translation for the spanish speaking member.  One of the highlights of our trip.  Thanks again to Carl and Melanie Harris.

View of Sea of Galilee

An important component in the Jordan River system, the Sea of Galilee figured prominently in the ministry of Jesus.  Greco-Romans and Jews then Christians contributed to its legacy. 

The Jordan Valley represents the N end of the Great Rift Valley that stretches from E Africa to Syria.  Collecting water from the upper Jordan River (formed by springs at the foot of Mt. Hermon), the Sea of Galilee is 12.5 X 7 miles and about 150 feet deep.  Its surface is about 700 feet below sea level.  It long supported an important fishing industry.

Kids stand on Galilee shoreline near Capernaum

Capernaum is on the NNW shore of the Sea of Galilee, just SW of the Upper Jordan’s entry into the lake.  Hebrew Kephar Nahum (“the village of Nahum”) was probably established by a group of Jewish exiles returning in the C5 BC from Babylon, a group perhaps headed by someone named Nahum.

Capernaum was the base of Jesus= Galilean ministry.  After His eviction from Nazareth (Lk 4:14-30), He “came down to Capernaum” (Lk 4:31; Mt 4:13). 

Mt Precipice outside Nazareth looking at Mt Tabor

Mt Precipice 

Jesus announced His Messiahship

16¶And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.

 17And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,

 18The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

 19To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

 20And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.

 21And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

 22And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph’s son?

 23And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.

 24And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.

 25But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;

 26But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.

 27And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.

 28And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,

 29And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.

 30But he passing through the midst of them went his way

MOUNT TABOR  The setting for Deborah’s victory over a Canaanite alliance, Mt. Tabor has long been venerated by Christians as the site of Jesus’ Transfiguration.

Geography.  Tabor rises, as a lone hill, out of the Jezreel Valley.

Etymology.  Some scholars trace the name Tabor to a Semitic deity known in Greek as Atabyrios.  If some Israelites perpetuated that god’s cult, then that is possibly what Hosea denounced (5:1).

History/Archaeology. In the Judges era, Deborah and her general Barak collected troops of northern Israelite tribes atop Mt. Tabor.  As a rule, the Israelites preferred to fight the Canaanites in the hills–for “they could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron” (Judg 1:19).  But, at Deborah’s urging, “Barak went down from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him.  And the Lord discomfited [the Canaanite leader] Sisera, and all his chariots” (Judg 4:14-15), who were swept away by a cloud burst over the river Kishon near Megiddo (Judg 5:21).

Venerated by many Christians as a likely site of the Transfiguration.  As part of their campaign to create “the Holy Land,” the Byzantines built atop Mt. Tabor three churches–to represent the three tabernacles for Moses, Elijah and Jesus.  During the First Crusade a Benedictine community built a monastery (1100-87), which was restored during the Third Crusade by the Hospitaliers 

Transfiguration

Lk 9:28¶And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray.

 29And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.

 30And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias:

 31Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.

 32But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him.

 33And it came to pass, as they departed from him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias: not knowing what he said.

 34While he thus spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud.

 35And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.

 36And when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone. And they kept it close, and told no man in those days any of those things which they had seen

Looking out on Valley of Meggido (Armageddon)

According to some premillennial Christian interpretations, the Messiah will return to earth and defeat the Antichrist (the "beast") in the battle of Armageddon. Then Satan will be put into the "bottomless pit" or abyss for 1,000 years, known as the Millennial Age. After being released from the abyss, Satan will gather Gog and Magog (peoples of two specific nations) from the four corners of the earth. They will encamp surrounding the "holy ones" and the "beloved city" (this refers to Jerusalem). Fire will come down from God, out of heaven and devour Gog and Magog after the Millennium, and the Devil who deceived them is thrown into Gehenna (the Lake of Fire and brimstone, or Hell) where the Beast and the False Prophet have been since just before the 1,000 years.
The word Armageddon appears only once in the Greek New Testament.^[5] The word comes from Hebrew har məgiddô (הר מגידו), meaning "Mountain of Megiddo". Mount Armageddon is a small mount or hill on which ancient forts were built that guarded the main highway, the Via Maris, that connected Ancient Egypt with Mesopotamia. Megiddo was the location of many decisive battles in ancient times (including one in the 15th century BC and one in 609 BC).

Scott and Staci Jackson overlook of Nazareth

NAZARETH

Anciently a small village in Lower Galilee, Nazareth contains visual referents of Jesus’ early life and mission and of Christianity’s efforts to commemorate Him.

Geography.  Nazareth, in Roman & Byzantine eras a small village in the hills of Lower Galilee, sustained farming, herding and handicraft activities.

Etymology.  Matthew said that Joseph “dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene” (2:23).  Some Bible scholars have related this verse to Is 11:1–“And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch [Heb. netzer] shall grow out of his roots”

Megan and Ben Hill overlook Nazareth

Jesus grew to manhood in Nazareth

 51And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.

 52And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man

Christine and Chris Redd overlook Nazareth