DAY 3: GALILEE TO THE GOLAN (Peace to War).

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" (Matthew 4:18-19).

It was a peaceful night of sleep in the historic city of Tiberius that night.  We awoke refreshed, and having broke fast with hearty Mediterranean fare we were on our way by 8:15 to another big day of touring.  We started the day by taking a boat ride on Galilee.  Most of our group thought this to be the highlight of the trip, it was still early and quiet, and not hard to imagine being with Peter, Andrew, James and John helping them to fish.  Yes, Galilee is only a lake, but still plenty big enough for a person to die in a storm.

We next stopped at Kibbutz Ginosar to see a 2,000 year old fishing boat that had been excavated from the mud of Galilee.  It was a fishing boat like the disciples would have used.  The boat was made of 12 different kinds of wood, the reason being there was a shortage of wood.  By the 19th century there was not a wooden boat to be found on Galilee (James Michener, The Source).

Our next stop was at the Mount of Beatitudes where Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew chapters 5,6,7).  It was a peaceful, quiet place for meditation, but it is more of a traditional place than a historical place.

Capernaum is a historical place.  We know Jesus was there!  Jesus spent most of his ministry in north Galilee, in a 12 mile arc on the north side of the lake.  Capernaum is about in the center of that arc--it is known as the 12 miles that changed the world.  At least 8 miracles were performed in Capernaum, still there were many who did not believe.  To whom much is given, much is required.  We saw the synagogue in which Jesus taught and Peter's mother-in-law's house.

From the shores of Galilee to Caesarea Philipi was our next trip.  It was here Jesus asked the 12 to tell him who men say that he is, and then "Who do you say that I am?"  Here is the temple of Pan, the gate to the underworld (Hades) which would not prevail against the Church, Jesus told his apostles.

We hadn't stopped for lunch yet, and it was about 2 p.m. so we stopped in a Druze village on the way up to Mount Bental.  We had a delightful lunch of falafuls, swarmas and Coke Zero.  There were armed Israeli soldiers in the restaurant too--Syria was not very far away.

Upon reaching the summit of Bental, an extinct volcano, Keren, our guide, explained to us the border with Syria and told us about the war of 1967 and the real acts of heroism that were required for Israel to survive. After hearing that I mentioned to her that I thought it was Divine providence. Keren did not respond, so I am not sure if she heard me, or, that she did not agree with my belief.* I do believe, however, that there have been so many near miraculous outcomes with the Israelis that the hand of the Divine had to be in it.  We were so close to the war in Syria that we could hear it going on.

Our Father's Love,
Tom

Tom and Helen on Galilee.

*Keren was a delightful guide, and, I believe, very accurate in her presentations.  There were some matters in her presentation that were veried from what my previous guides told me.