The Galilee area is about 1500 square miles and is very fertile due to the electrical and irrigation systems. Towns are usually set against a hill, with the crops laid out in level fields in the valleys. Rocks are scattered profusely around the hills, resembling sheep, and the sheep in turn, resemble the rocks! Sheep are very stupid animals -- trusting and vunerable; no wonder they have to be shepherded.
On Friday, we traveled to Cana, the site of Jesus' first miracle. Driving through the town, I noticed that all the dwellings were three-storied, box-like, with flat roofs and no carports or garages, built very close to each other. The people who live here must all be apartment dwellers; there is no landscaping, flowers, or grass here. Twelve million people live in Galilee.
Our local guide gave us a little history about the area. Judea is surrounded by desert, but Galilee is surrounded by other nations: Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Egypt. Back in Jesus' time, the towns that seemed to be hotbeds of rebellion were controlled by garrisons of Roman soldiers. Loyal towns like Capernaum had Senate control and only a contingent of 50-60 soldiers led by a centurion.
Galilee was a good area for framing and craftmen. Builders were needed, and Joseph was a builder, so that is why the Holy Family moved to Nazareth; he could make a living here. Commerce was good because trade was possible with Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Syria, Jordan, etc.
Bassem, our guide, explained the meaning of the Jewish word, "kibbutz." It is a gathering; a community village wherein the residents get no salaries, but do get lodging, food, benefits, education for their children in exchange for working the land that is leased by the State. The early State of Israel set these up so that Jews would get tied to the land -- a form of socialism. There are more than 250 kibbutzes in Israel. Children are often sent there from other locations to be educated. Now, these places have museums, hospitals, etc. The income derived is reinvested. The kibbutzes are declining in number because the younger Jews are not interested in living in a socialist community.
Showing posts with label Sea of Galilee. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sea of Galilee. Show all posts
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Capernaum on the Sea of Galilee
In considering the many examples of Peter and the others fishing on the Sea of Galilee, we were reminded that the reason Peter sank after trying to walk in the water toward Jesus, was that HE TOOK HIS EYES OFF JESUS, AND GOT DISTRACTED! A lesson for all of us.
We visited the town of Capernaum after disembarking. It is one of the more than fifteen towns on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Capernaum is the town where Jesus made His home. "And leaving Nazareth he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim." (Matthew 4:13) This is where Peter, Andrew, James, John, and Matthew (all fishermen) became His Apostles. Many of His miracles were performed in this town: casting out of spirits, bringing a dead child back to life, healing Peter's mother-in-law, curing the Centurion's servant.
People thronged to hear him speak here, but they did not always believe. Jesus cursed them at one point. "If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you." (Matthew 11:23-24) Arabs destroyed the city in the 7th century.
Galilee was at one time devoid of Jews; the Assyrians had moved in aliens and deported the Jews after conquering the territory. But around the 2nd century BC, Jews came back. Galilee is an area of 1600 square miles. In the towns we passed, laundry was hanging out at most of the buildings. Evidently the people possessed no dryers! In all of the places we visited on the shores of Galilee, pilgrims burst out in spontaneous song-- sometimes in different languages, but the same melody!
The Golan Heights are visible from here -- these black basalt mountains were made by volcanic eruptions, and they are different from the mountains in Israel. The area was called Decapolis in Jesus' time, and it is where Jesus cast out the demons into the swine. Strange that people in this area were raising pork!
We visited the town of Capernaum after disembarking. It is one of the more than fifteen towns on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Capernaum is the town where Jesus made His home. "And leaving Nazareth he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim." (Matthew 4:13) This is where Peter, Andrew, James, John, and Matthew (all fishermen) became His Apostles. Many of His miracles were performed in this town: casting out of spirits, bringing a dead child back to life, healing Peter's mother-in-law, curing the Centurion's servant.
People thronged to hear him speak here, but they did not always believe. Jesus cursed them at one point. "If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you." (Matthew 11:23-24) Arabs destroyed the city in the 7th century.
Galilee was at one time devoid of Jews; the Assyrians had moved in aliens and deported the Jews after conquering the territory. But around the 2nd century BC, Jews came back. Galilee is an area of 1600 square miles. In the towns we passed, laundry was hanging out at most of the buildings. Evidently the people possessed no dryers! In all of the places we visited on the shores of Galilee, pilgrims burst out in spontaneous song-- sometimes in different languages, but the same melody!
The Golan Heights are visible from here -- these black basalt mountains were made by volcanic eruptions, and they are different from the mountains in Israel. The area was called Decapolis in Jesus' time, and it is where Jesus cast out the demons into the swine. Strange that people in this area were raising pork!
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