What is long?

Day two was basically flying. We arrived in Israel at 4PM, but after grabbing luggage we headed toward Tiberius in darkness.

This morning we awoke to the beauty of the Sea of Galilee.

Western eyes keep us from fully expecting our Holy scriptures. There were fewer words 2020 years ago. Because of the fewer word there has to be translation and interpretation.
Hill =2000ft or > and mountains are 3000 <. The same goes for bodies of water. The Dead Sea and the Sea of Galilee are smaller than some of our lakes back home. 

I forget regularly that the Bible wasn’t written in my backyard. The men and women we read about are like ancient Lewis and Clark. Walking to and from over these hills and through swampy lands at times.

In Capernium - Sea of Galilee modern Tiberius where Jesus reappeared to the disciples. Jesus called and made fishers of men. There is a holy site with dates in the 1st century....it now has a modern temple on top. I have heard this said before too. Now, there is a temple built on top. But like we could see the old temple still...built on top. It was so stinking cool. This is likely where Jesus honed in his teachings and did some of his own fishing. 

Our guide is a Christian scholar, but is quite Jewish. He is able to remind us of the stories we know, but in National-Treasure-super-cool-Ben-Franklin-glasses style, he can explain what this meant to the Jews and people of the time. Jews ask questions with  another question, he says. 
“How much is two plus two?

Answer w/ another question... “Rabbi, how much is 8-4”

“Rabbi, how much is sq root of 16.”

He told us of other symbols for Christianity , like an octagon w circle around. This was to display which house was the place of worship that day - 8sides for the 8 beatitudes. Near this site was another synagogue built before the new one. It was much larger and tucked in its deconstructed walls were wishes, prayers, petitions of other sight-seers. 

After a boat ride out on the Sea of Galilee, we came into a Museum that was built around and for a single piece. Many museums have collections of art and artifacts to admire. This museum has...one.  One thing. In 1986-87 during a year of an extreme drought a discovery was made. An ancient nail was found and then another. More nails and then a piece of wood. Wood from first century AD w/ proof in the carbon dating. The moment they began to unbury their discovery, the realized quickly that the mud it was encased inside was also preserving it. I don’t want to spoil too much for those coming on the next trip, but this “Jesus boat” is amazing to see and to hear the story.

A couple of miles up the road was Magdala. Until 2006 it was a little bed and breakfast/vineyard. A hotel bought up the land with plans to upgrade and bring up tourism in the area. In Israel if you are going to build, a minor excavation must be done first. In this small dig was the discovery of a lifetime...a first century synagogue. Through carbon dating they could tell that it was used from about 100BC to 70 ADish. Based on descriptions in the Bible and other writings, they assume this to be the town of Mary Magdelian.
There are pics, but the internet is being kids of dodgey. Plus...I don’t want to ruin it all for the next group. 

Nazareth-  it blew me away hat the city of  Nazareth has over 80k people living there now. Nazareth Village is a replica village right in the middle of the modern downtown that shows what life would have been like. We saw olive presses. We saw the natural grape presses for the wine. They rebuilt homes which really brought to life the ruins we saw an hour earlier. 

Isaiah 11:1 new root 

Yala in Arabic means go. Our guide would ask if we had any questions and then would say alright...yala. At the end of the village tour we were gifted small lamps that burn oil. She reminded us that Jesus said...

“I am the light on the world. Those that chose to follow me will never walk in darkness.” John 8:12

If you are planning a trip here or have it on your bucket list, all I can say is make it happen. We have a 13 year old on this trip and a 70 year old. It’s not too late it’s not too early.  Make it happen. I cannot wait to see what day four has to bring us.