Israel Trip - Day 3 Jordan River, Mt. of Beatitudes, Capernaum

Today's tour started with a special baptism service at the Jordan River.  Michael and I were baptized along with 2 other couples.  It was a wonderful time of spiritual rededication for us. 

 



 

After the baptism, our driver took us to a local date shop.  This is a family run business that makes many different products from the fruit of the date palm tree.  We got to sample several varieties of "date honey".  It was interesting to see how goods are sold in Israel.  Often you will see items uncovered and not protected from bugs or debris.  It is not uncommon to see people reach in with bare hands and take what they like.  Just very different from what we are used to in the US.

Taking a little break.  :-)

 

This is the outside of the date store.



One of the many sunflower fields we saw in the northern part of Israel.  The fields are huge and they really are beautiful when the sun is shining on them.  

We saw many flowering trees in Israel.  Many more than we are accustomed to in the US.  This is just one of them.  It made us think of the Hawaiian flower.  

The next few pictures where taken at the Mt. of Beatitudes.  

 

 

 

Scripture reading time with Bro. George Smith.

 

Our next stop was at a church in Tabgha on the shores of the Sea of Galilee at the foot of the Mt. of Beatitudes.  The church is called The Church of the Primacy and it was built on the possible location of where Jesus fed the disciples.  The story is found in the 21st chapter of St. John.  The historians know it was somewhere in this area and this particular site was known to be a favorite place for local fishermen.  The church has excellent acoustics.  You can get a sample by listening to the short clip below. 

 

 

Just down the road from the church is the remnants of the city of Capernaum.  This town in mentioned many times in the four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.  It was the place where Jesus taught in the synagogue and healed a man that had an unclean devil.  Many other healings occurred here but ultimately the people didn't receive him and he cursed the city in Matthew 11.  Interestingly, the city has never been rebuilt although the other cities around it have been.  When God speaks, it has to come to pass!

The synagogue where Jesus taught.

Part of the ruins of the city.

A monument of Peter.  "Upon this rock I will build my church".  Mathhew 16:18

 

One special part of our day was a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee.  We were right where Jesus and the disciples would have been.  Land changes over time, but the sea doesn't so it's easy to imagine how it looked to the disciples.  

 

 

Listening to Bro. Branham's message - "A Testimony on the Sea"

 

 

We ate lunch at St. Peter's Fish.  A local restaurant that serves fresh caught fish.  The fish was good but the "salad" was the same as everywhere else.  You may think you see meat and rice in the picture below but it is all different kinds of cabbages, cold vegetables, and pita bread.