Jim, Shauna, Bob and I continued our tour of northern Israel on September 9, 2022, as our guide drove toward the Sea of Galilee. We sat by it's shore as our guide gave us a little lesson on the geology of this area. Apparently, the lake's geology is characterized by a series of fault systems, sedimentary and igneous rocks, and an asymmetrical bottom. It is located in the Jordan Rift Valley, a depression created by the separation of the Arabian and African plates. Our son, Michael, would love this stuff! It was a little hard to imagine the fishermen to whom Jesus called, casting their nets on this sea, when jet skis and speed boats were speeding across the water everywhere. This was now a place of recreation.
After our lesson, we drove up the mountain to where Jesus's Sermon on the Mount was given. Of course, a Roman Catholic church by the name of Church of Beatitudes has been erected there.
I enjoyed the pathways and views surrounding the church, many of which incorporated things related to Jesus' teachings and the Beatitudes. I especially liked the depiction of the five loaves of bread and fish designed with rocks along the pathway to the church.
Beautiful views of the freshwater lake, were seen from the hillside. What a lovely place for Christ to teach His gospel to his disciples.
A short drive to the archeological site of Capernaum was next on our agenda. Jesus was born in Bethlehem, brought up in Nazareth, and preached in Jerusalem but it was the significant Galilean Ministry years which he spent in Capernaum and where he performed many of his miracles. Jesus went to Capernaum to live after being tempted of the devil, and here he met Peter, James, John, Andrew and Matthew. The ruins found are of a synagogue built upon an older synagogue, thought to have been from the time of Christ. This would have been where Christ gave his "bread of life" sermon, expelled an evil spirit from a man, healed a Roman centurion from palsy, and raised the daughter of Jairus from the dead. Near the entrance to the town was a bronze statue of the homeless Jesus lying on a bench. A statue of Peter is erected near the shores of the Sea of Galilee.
The black basalt rock is native to the area and is from the original walls of the sanctuary. The upper stones are not native and would have been from a later Byzantine church built upon the ruins of the ancient synagogue. Millstones were common in Capernaum. There were some interesting details found on many of the stones, including a Menorah and a carving of a cart on wheels, which some have wrongly attributed to being the ark of the covenant being pulled to the sanctuary.
Archaeologists uncovered an early Christian home in Capernaum thought to have been the home of Peter. This is the site where Christ cured a paralytic who was lowered in through the roof. There now stands a modern hexagonal Franciscan church over the spot thought to have been Peter’s house. There is a glass floor so that you can still see the ancient original church below.
The final site to visit on our tour was a place called "Magdala", a recent 2009 archeological find, believed to be the hometown of Mary Magdalene. The first item of interest was the Magdala Stone, which was found in the first century synagogue located here. It is believed to have held the Torah and Prophet scrolls. The oldest carved seven branched Menorah is on one side of the stone. In the area of the synagogue were found coins dated between 5 and 63 AD. Other ruins reveal a large marketplace, living areas and baths, and fisherman warehouse, work area and wharf.
We walked across a mosaic map of Galilee to a building called Duc in Altum - which is a Latin phrase that translates to "put out into the deep" or "go deeper," often used in a spiritual context to signify taking a leap of faith and venturing into unknown territory, drawing from a passage in the Bible where Jesus tells Peter to "put out into the deep" and cast his nets. Entering the Women's Atrium, we saw 8 pillars representing the seven women in the Bible who followed Jesus, and the 8th which honors all women of faith. The Boat Chapel featured an altar boat which stands over the first century port.
There were 4 Mosaic Chapels depicting Biblical events that took place near the Sea of Galilee. And then we entered the Encounter Chapel which is modeled after the structure of the Magdala First Century Synagogue. This chapel features a beautiful mural-sized painting of the woman with an issue of blood reaching out to touch the hem of Christ's garment.
Finally, we walked out to the shore of the Sea of Galilee and took off our shoes and walked into the water. None of us exhibited the faith of Peter, by walking "on" the water. But the time spent walking in our Savior's footsteps and contemplating His life and His teachings was a profound experience to have had. To reflect on my personal discipleship, with appreciation for those first Christians, instills in me a tremendous obligation and responsibility to be an example of the believers in all that I do and say. To the world, I wish to proclaim my witness that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and our Redeemer. It is only through righteous observance of covenants made with Him, that we can return to His presence and be exalted in His Celestial Kingdom. As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I affirm that the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth through latter-day Prophets and Apostles of our Lord, Jesus Christ, with all the keys and authority necessary for salvation. For this knowledge, and for my unshaken testimony of these truths, I gratefully accept the honor of declaring my faith to all the world, and inviting all to "Come Follow Him". Duc in Altum - go deeper, think higher, commit unceasingly to finding and abiding by eternal truths, and joy will be yours!
We had a wonderful full day, but we were tired and ready to shower and climb into bed for a few hours of sleep before our 3:00 am travels from Tel Aviv to Houston. Our guide offered to take us to our hotel, which was booked online and appeared to be suitable, although comparatively pricey. Little did we know that Tel Aviv is the most expensive city in the world. So when we tried to locate the hotel, and all we saw at the address given, was a demolished city block surrounded by chain-link fencing, we began to panic. Tucked below a giant billboard amidst the rubble, we found the place which we reserved. Scared to proceed for all the unknown dangers we anticipated, we almost forfeited our investment, when someone emerged from the "hotel" and lead us in to our rooms. Although not the "spa" hotel that was advertised, a clean bed and bath was all we needed, and our rooms appeared to suffice. Although I expected to see camera lenses peering out of every nook, it didn't take long to shut down my fears and enter into a deep but short sleep. And before we knew it, we were on our way back home.
These are a few remembrances purchased from this trip.
Note added in January 2025: We feel so blessed to have been able to visit the Holy Land when we did, for it was just a year later, on October 7, 2023, that Hamas invaded Israel. The war between Hamas and Israel continues to this day.
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