Pastor Wayne started the day with devotions on the bus. Speaking for several Psalms, he reminded us of the living water we had seen in Dan yesterday and how much more refreshing that looked than the water we had seen in some cisterns. That water was certainly “dead and unappealing. The lesson? The Lord is our source of Living Water. It was an interesting lesson since the day ended at the Dead Sea.
This morning we were following Jesus steps. First to his “home base” of Capernaum where we saw a synagogue built on the foundation of the one built by the Centurion, a church built on the traditional ruins of Peter’s house. Even a commemorative plaque dedicated by the Zebedee family, presumably descendants of James and John’s family.
Sort of staying with the disciple theme, we traveled only a few minutes to Korazin another town Jesus spent some time in. Here we saw another synagogue, this one with a Moses seat and ruins of some houses which indicated that some had come home and built on to their father’s house (John 14). I don’t want to only report on what we have seen and are doing, but in all of these sights the scriptures are really coming alive.
Next we went to Bethsaida, the town Peter, Philip and Andrew were from. Also the place where Jesus fed the 5,000, displaying for the Jews His claim to deity by feeding them the way God fed the Jews in the wilderness. Sometime around here we heard a loud boom in the distance. Our guide Mickey, said that was just the artillery letting everyone know they were around. Later we heard about an explosion in Southern Lebanon that killed a Palestinian. (We were very close to Southern Lebanon yesterday)
This afternoon, we saw a 5th century synagogue with a very interesting tile floor. It had signs of the zodiac embedded in it. An interesting sign that at least here in the 5th century, other gods were creeping in.
Our last big stop, before traveling down to the Dead Sea for the night, was Scythopolis-Bet Shean. This was the place where King Saul’s body was nailed to the walls after his loosing battle on Mt. Gilboa nearby. The ruins of the main city were destroyed in an earthquake in 479 AD. They were amazing ruins. A city where maybe half of it was dedicated to a theatre, a spa and other amusements. It sort of reminded us of our culture.
This morning we were following Jesus steps. First to his “home base” of Capernaum where we saw a synagogue built on the foundation of the one built by the Centurion, a church built on the traditional ruins of Peter’s house. Even a commemorative plaque dedicated by the Zebedee family, presumably descendants of James and John’s family.
Sort of staying with the disciple theme, we traveled only a few minutes to Korazin another town Jesus spent some time in. Here we saw another synagogue, this one with a Moses seat and ruins of some houses which indicated that some had come home and built on to their father’s house (John 14). I don’t want to only report on what we have seen and are doing, but in all of these sights the scriptures are really coming alive.
Next we went to Bethsaida, the town Peter, Philip and Andrew were from. Also the place where Jesus fed the 5,000, displaying for the Jews His claim to deity by feeding them the way God fed the Jews in the wilderness. Sometime around here we heard a loud boom in the distance. Our guide Mickey, said that was just the artillery letting everyone know they were around. Later we heard about an explosion in Southern Lebanon that killed a Palestinian. (We were very close to Southern Lebanon yesterday)
This afternoon, we saw a 5th century synagogue with a very interesting tile floor. It had signs of the zodiac embedded in it. An interesting sign that at least here in the 5th century, other gods were creeping in.
Our last big stop, before traveling down to the Dead Sea for the night, was Scythopolis-Bet Shean. This was the place where King Saul’s body was nailed to the walls after his loosing battle on Mt. Gilboa nearby. The ruins of the main city were destroyed in an earthquake in 479 AD. They were amazing ruins. A city where maybe half of it was dedicated to a theatre, a spa and other amusements. It sort of reminded us of our culture.
Apparently more time and money spend on amusements (dead cisterns) than on God (Living Water).
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