Loril's Message From Israel - 13 June 2009

Hi, Friends,

The last two days have been incredible. We spent yesterday in Capernaum and Mt. Arbel. Both places were amazing. I took a lot of pictures but something went south with my memory card and I lost them. I am going back to Capernaum next Thursday, on our last day in Galilee/Taghba, so I'll take more. I will get copies of pictures taken at Mt. Arabel from some of my fellow pilgrims.

Capernaum: To visit the town where Jesus began his ministry was a very moving experience. The Benedictines have built a church over the ruins of Peter's house, but left much the 1st century house uncovered. It was awesome to stand there and look at rooms that Jesus no doubt hung out. Some of the structure is still preserved so one can get a sense of the layout. I will get more pictures of that. Really wonderful.

Mt. Arbel is another beautiful place in Lower Galilee, above Tiberias. It is 282 meters above sea level and 481 meter above Tiberias and the valley. The mountain is also located near the sea of Galilee's western shore in the vicinity of ancient Magdala, home of Mary Magdalene. The mountain's sheer face can be easily picked out by the casual observer from most points around the lake. Below Mount Arbel lies the Valley of the Doves, a natural access route into the lake area and a route probably used by Jesus as he traveled back and forth to Cana and Nazareth.
Arbel has only one possible mention in scripture. In Hosea 10:14 we read:

Therefore tumult shall arise among your people, and all your fortresses shall be plundered as Shalman plundered Beth Arbel in the day of battle; a mother dashed in pieces upon her children.

From this early reference we realize that Arbel had a rather bloody history. Apparently the Assyrians had mercilessly killed many Israelites by forcing them off the face of this mountain. Later, the historian, Josephus, mentions that the Seleucid general, Bacchides, captured the mountain and executed many people there. Also in 39 BC, as Herod the Great rose to power, he too killed many of those Jews who opposed him by slaughtering them on this same mountain. As they hid in caves on its sheer north side, Herod let his men down in baskets and fished them from the caves, forcing them off the cliff to their destruction below.
There might be cause to wonder if the strange prophetic reference to the "land of the shadow of death," in Isaiah 9:2, could be in some way be associated with the deep shadow cast by Mount Arbel. Could the prophetic reference possibly refer to the slaughters that had gone on in the area? If this could be so, it would connect Arbel with Capernaum, the area in which Jesus would focus his ministry. If there is a prophetic connection with Arbel, we have an interesting contrast with the "shadow of death" and the "Light of Life."
Mount of Beatitudes: Today, we visited the Mt. of the Beatitudes, a place that is thought to be where Jesus taught the Disciples the "Blessed are those..." in Matthew and Luke. What a beautiful cliff about the Sea of Galilee. A beautiful church is built on the site thought to be the place Jesus taught--but it could be anywhere in that vicinity.

Bethsaida: We then traveled to the area where the miracle of the loaves and fishes took place. A church has been built over the rock that folks from 28 AD on believe to be the place Jesus and his disciples ate their supper with the crowd. The rock is huge and flat, like a table. Most of it is underground but a portion of it sticks up right in the middle of what we would call the chancel area of the church.
I can't describe how incredible it is to be here and to walk through these places where Jesus most certainly walked. The air in the holy sites almost tingles.
Tomorrow, we take a long boat ride across the Sea of Galilee. And, speaking of the Sea of Galilee, I am headed out to the lake for a swim with some of my new friends.
I'll write more tomorrow. Hope all is well with you.

Grace and peace,

Loril