Journey Day 9: Mount Arbel, Mount of Beatitudes, Peter's Primacy, Capernaum

One of those days that almost leaves you breathless when you think about the powerful things that happened here to have defined and propelled the faith we so earnestly cling too!

For me personally, the most emotional day of the trip yet, as we understand the Bible in a new powerful way and begin to rehear the promises and callings he has placed on each of our lives.   

It was a day where pictures will just never do it justice (though I tried!), and where what is continuing to happen to my, and all of our hearts, will carry us forward.  

Quick rundown of the day:

1. Hike of Mount Arbel.   An absolutely amazing overlook of the Sea of Galilee.   This is also the likely spot that Jesus retreats to after feeding the 5,000 before going out to walk on the water to the disciples.   When you stand here and look at those areas, it just makes sense to see what Jesus saw, and how and why he responded the way he did - that is scripture coming to life!  

2. Mount of Beatitudes.  Probably not the picture that was in my mind from scripture, but as the hill lays out before you and the sea behind you, the freshness of the "Sermon on the Mount" stirs your heart.

3. Peter's Primacy.   What?!?!    This is the place where Jesus reinstates Peter (Peter, do you love me?), and propels Peter into a life of full-fledged ministry.  Both Bryce and I (Keith) got to share our scripture and stories here, which I will explain below!   Far more emotional experience for me than I was prepared for :)

4. Capernaum.  The 'new' hometown of Jesus.   At some point, Jesus made the move from Nazareth to Capernaum, and was the center of so much of his ministry and site to several miracles.   The site itself is now just the ruins of what was there in the 1st Century (things like Peter's house, which was very likely one of the first Christian churches).    It has a stunning view of the sea to say the least.

So - check out the pictures and come along on the journey once again....

MOUNT ARBEL:

Again - this gave us a view of the hills where Jesus would have fed the 5,000 (although really a number close to 15-20,000), of the town that Mary Magdalene was from (Magdala), and an amazing view of the sea of Galilee - to understand how Jesus could have seen his disciples struggling and scared in the middle of the storm - so he walks out into the water.

The hike started with quite the challenge, basically 'rock climbing' down a 50-75 foot cliff.   Hard, challenging, exciting and exhilarating all at the same time - much like our walk of faith huh?!?!

You can see the caves across the way, this is where the rebelling 'zealots' would have stayed around 70 A.D. as the Romans came to conquer. 

A little taste of the wall.   I could stoop shaking and sweating just long enough to snap a few :)

And still on our way down!

A little better view of what we were descending - this is about 1/3 of it.

Yes, Anita, you are all that is woman :)

More caves for the zealots that we came too - the next few will be pictures of what it would have been like to live in these.    Eventually, to squash them out, Herod lowered men in 'window washer boxes' from the top, smoked them out, and threw them down to their death.

Inside the caves...

A wall/turret they used to protect themselves.

More in the cave...

Walls they built to close off openings...

A fireplace??

An archery window

Just above the 4 white roofs on the right side of the picture, are the hills that would have been flooded with people while Jesus fed 5,000 men (plus women, plus children - so really, closer to 15,000 - 20,000)

Here is a pano of those hills into the Sea of Galilee to show just how close they all were.

And now on the way up....

The view when we got to the top.   The feeding of the 5,000 is to the far left.   The Sea of Galilee spans the rest.

Just to prove we made it, and it was a beautiful view...

And who doesn't plank on top of a mountain in Israel??

One more pano of the view

MOUNT OF BEATITUDES:

Pat, sharing her story of how rich and meaningful scripture is.   She shared how she and a friend have been working on memorizing the Sermon on the Mount, and how as believers and leaders, we just need to keep taking bites and chewing on what God has for us as it comes alive and takes meaning in our lives.   Thank you for modeling and sharing this Pat!

The hill heading off towards the right

And the hill heading off towards the left

Not sure how great this turned out, but a pano of the hill.

And just turning around to show you the view of the sea behind it.

PETER'S PRIMACY:

Again, this is the place where Jesus asks Peter 3 times if he loves him, and at the end reinstates Peter into ministry sends him out.

A beautiful area heading down towards the water.   

My turn to share my story.   I shared Jesus calling the first disciples (come, follow me and I will make you fishers of men!).   My journey has been one of God calling me out of my/our comfort zone.  Out of a job and career that seemed to be the right fit.   And he has been saying, Keith, come follow me.   It has been hard, painful, sad and confusing to leave what I thought I knew, but it has been heart stirring, heart changing, and faith enlarging to start walking the road of "what's next" in my life.   Thank you to so many who have prayed, cried, encouraged and loved us on this journey.

Just imagine, just walking the beach right behind me, Peter, Andrew, James and John out in the boats on the water - and Jesus calling "Come, follow me!"   And they leave everything they have every known, and follow him!    So cool, so powerful, so REAL!

Bryce sharing his story of the next time that Jesus approaches the disciples on this beach.   After the resurrection, and they are out fishing.   He tells them to cast their nets on the other side, their boat overflows with fish, and they come flying back to shore to see the one that they can't believe it is!

Bryce is following an opportunity and God's leading to a semester abroad in Australia this fall.  He shared how cool it has been to watch God provide and answer the details, and continue to make it heart excited for what he is about to experience and the people he will have a chance to impact.

"Come, follow me - and I will make you fishers of men!"

A view of the beach and sea from this point.

This spot will always hold a powerful spot in my heart, as it has become the story I feel like I am living.  I am far from one of the 12 disciples, but he is calling me out about the water :)

CAPERNAUM:

 The new home town of Jesus after he moved from Nazareth.

The 1st century synagoge - literally right across the street from Peter's house, the first Christian church.

More city ruins...

A few more ruins.  Amazing how much is still in tact 2,000 years later though!

Peter's house, and site of one of the first Christian churches.

Statue of Peter.

Beautiful and green.

They view people of this town would have had as they stood on the shores of the Sea.   Not bad, think I would have moved there :)

Beauty!

Wow!   Like I said, more tears for me this day that I have shed in a while.   Tears of joy and what I feel God doing in my life, what I see him doing in others, and the desire I have journey with others to see what he has in store for the future.    Many told, you won't be able to adequately share what you see and experience, and I am finding that true today.   Look forward to trying when we return though!

Journey Day 8: Ha-Shahar, Mount Gilboa, Tel Bet She'an, Sea of Galilee

Today we made our way north through Israel to the region of Galilee!   We stopped at some absolutely breathtaking places, and began to set the stage for Jesus ministry and all we are going to experience over the next 3-4 days, as we literally 'walk where he walked'!

Our day went in this order:
1. Hike of Ha-Shahar.   This was a beautiful view over the Rift Valley (the area between the Jordan and Judean Mountains) where the Jordan River works its way down from the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea.   We looked at the importance of this area as a place that was so vital to commerce and control of the land.   We also had the chance to hear several members of our group share their story and scripture passage, as we continue to look at what it means to be a disciple and walk this journey of faith with one another.   Something that will really hit home these next few days.    On the way down the hill, you will see we visited a 'shepherds cave' that could resemble something similar to what Mary and Joseph would have found for a place to stay.

2.   We hopped back on the bus and continued to make our way north, next stopping at Mt. Gilboa.   This amazing overlook of the Herode Valley, and set the stage for the scripture from 1 Samuel 28, where we see Saul foolishly risk his life to go through the Philistine army to visit a 'witch doctor' to figure out how to win the battle.   This led to a really cool and emotional conversation about how we are guilty of creating disguises and hiding from things in our life.  We need to be willing to lay ourselves bare before God and let him heal our wounds - not try to hide them from him - and see what beautiful scar he has in the works.

3. We headed down Mt. Gilboa to Tel Bet-She'an.   This is one of the most complete excavations they have done in all of Israel, and it was impressive to think about what this would have looked like in its prime.  This was one of the cities in the Decapolis during Jesus ministry that he refers too and was very heavily influenced by Greco-Roman culture, which we see in our culture now today.  We had some really great conversation about how the world says that if it doesn't have an answer than it can not be true, and that our knowledge/opinion is what matters most.   But as followers of Christ, we are called to so much more than that - a life of love and freedom.   We got to hear the first story from our Faith group from Mason, who shared on how the story of David and Goliath is a great daily reminder and challenge for him (and us!) to daily put on the armor and strength that God gives us, not what man thinks we should wear.

4.  We took a short trip up the rest of the Jordan River and to the Sea of Galilee.   As we dashed into the sea to enjoy its freshness during this hot trip, I couldn't help put thinking these things:
    - This is where Jesus called the disciples
    - This is where Jesus walked on water
    - This is where Jesus told the fishermen to through their nets on the other side
    - This is where Jesus calmed the storm
    - This is where Jesus found much peace and rest during his ministry.  
    *** TALK ABOUT THE LAND COMING TO LIFE - AND I WAS SWIMMING RIGHT THERE!!!  ****

So, enough of my thoughts, check out the pictures and live some of the story for yourself:


HA-SHAHAR:

A much more common site as we got outside Jerusalem and headed north.   Shepherds leading their flocks (not by nights though, sorry!)

Top of Ha-Shahar.  A sweeping view of the Jordan River Valley.   That is the Jordan Mountains on the far side.

Our friend, Cory the Explorer.   Pretty cool picture though!

View of the shepherd's cave we looked at.   Again, could be very similar to what Jesus was born in.

Inside the cave.

DRIVING NORTH:

Landscape begins to change - greener and little more trees/shrubs.

Again, picture doesn't do it justice - amazing view.

To say the least, the Holy Land is not the flat Nebraska type land that I sometimes view in my mind.

The green down in the valley is the Jordan River winding its way.

MOUNT GILBOA:

This amazing view of the Herode Valley.   Setting for Saul conspiring with a witch.

TEL BET SHE'AN:

So incredible to walk through these ruins.  Again, VERY Greek and Roman influenced.   Part of the Decapolis during Jesus time.

probably a 6ft x 6ft stone that would have capped the pillars below...

What the entire 'main street' was lined with.

Hard to totally get it, but a HUGE pillar that tumbled during the earthquake that destroyed the city.

A view from the top of the hill down on this city center.

The amphitheater that was built.

Mason sharing his testimony - put on our armor of God daily!   What an awesome reminder.   This young man has an amazing heart, and is living passionately for and making a difference for God's kingdom.

Our first view of the Jordan River as we finish our journey to Galilee.

SEA OF GALILEE:

Our first peek at the sea.  Beautiful, inspiring, emotional, and breathtaking all bundled into one instant.

Where so much of Jesus heart and ministry poured out during his time on earth.   

Just a beautiful area.

Can just imagine Jesus walking the beach and call his first disciples to come and follow him.

And our day ends.   A beautiful sunset as a reminder that God has created ALL things, and they were good!

The dramatic climb up to the peak you see on the left side of the picture is the mountain we will be hiking tomorrow.   Most likely the site of where Jesus sent the demon possessed pigs plunging into the sea.

Seriously - he walked on THIS WATER!!!

Father, this trip is showing us more and more that our faith is REAL!   The promises we hold to aren't just from scripture about a place that never existed (like Narnia), but we see evidence everywhere of the promises and truths of your word pouring out before us.   Guide as hearts these next few days as we earnestly praise and worship you, and take a look at the places you walked, taught, loved, cried and forever changed us.

See you tomorrow night :)