In Israel 09: Lake Galilee

Wednesday 22 April

Driving Tour of the Lake of Galilee. Boat Trip, Jesus Boat, Capernaum, Bethsaida, Korazim, Mt of Beatitudes, Mt Arbel, Hamat Gader Hot Springs for a warm bath.

A very full day. Had a fantastic speed boat trip around the top of the Sea of Galilee stopped at the various sites including the Jordan delta where the Jordan flows into Galilee. Considerably cooler water flows in from Mt Hermon. We did a reading on the lake and talked about many of the stories of Jesus life that were enacted around these very shores!

Darren talking on the speed boat trip around Galilee

We then travelled to the Capernaum to see ‘The Jesus Boat’ a fisherman’s boat discovered and preserved from around the time of Jesus. Interesting to see the size and shape and imagine the Lord in a boat like this on his many trips across Galilee.

Ruth at the 'Jesus Boat' at Capernaum

Also a very interesting display on the Palmac the youth workers in in the early day of the State of Israel. Many of these were Holocaust orphans, fascinating to hear how so many young people (late teens and early twenties) worked together and contributed to the birth of the state.

The ladies could not resist the opportunity of a photo in front of one of the magnificent Bougenvillias that are all over this land

We also visited the synagogue of Capernaum. It is a 4th Century AD synagogue but built on the site of a synagogue built during Jesus’ times. We also visited the three cities where Christ did much of his work - Capernaum, Bethsaida, and Korizan. These three cities are now in ruins according to Christ’s pronunciation of woe against them because of their unbelief, despite the mighty works done in them. The buildings of this area are distinctly different from the white limestone of the Judean area. Here they used a black, contrasting basalt (which contributes to the very fertile soil of this region). We saw what we believed to be conies running around the rocks of some of the ruins, just as Agur observed “a feeble folk, yet they make their houses in the rock”

Many were growing weary by this stage of the day - but Simon, Pris, Stephen and myself went to the top of Arbel. A possible site where Christ may have given the Sermon of the mount which gives a fantastic view of the entire Galilee region. We sat and watched the sunset, and contemplated another enjoyable day.