May 2011 Newsletter and Free Photos (BiblePlaces.com)

Jordan River North of the Sea of Galilee

Click picture for higher-resolution version.

Most tourists to Israel who see the Jordan River visit the meandering stream south of the Sea of Galilee. The northern portion which gathers the waters from major springs at Dan and Caesarea Philippi flows into the Huleh Basin and through the Rosh Pinna Sill. This latter geological feature has forced the river to cut a canyon through basalt rock. The quick decrease in elevation results in a series of rapids as the river flows toward the Sea of Galilee at 700 feet (210 m) below sea level.

Kedesh, City of Refuge

Click picture for higher-resolution version.

When Moses prepared the children of Israel for the Promised Land, he twice specified that they were to set aside "cities of refuge" for those who were accused of murder and seeking justice (Num 35; Deut 19). Three cities were designated on each side of the Jordan River. On the west side, the cities of Shechem and Hebron are well known, but serving the northernmost tribes was the city of Kedesh (Josh 20). The site today is uninhabited and overgrown (unlike Shechem and Hebron), but small-scale excavations since the 1950s have revealed substantial remains from the Bronze Age and Persian-Roman periods.

Gath Hepher, Hometown of Jonah

Click picture for higher-resolution version.

"Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee," said some discussing Jesus' identity (John 7:52). Perhaps they were reluctant to acknowledge Jonah as a prophet, given his message to Gentiles which resulted in repentance. According to 2 Kings 14:25, Jonah was from Gath Hepher, a city located in Lower Galilee, about 3 miles (5 km) northeast of Nazareth. The site is not mentioned in the book of Jonah, which is concerned instead with his flight westward from Israel (chapters 1-2) and then his journey east to Nineveh (chapters 3-4). About thirty years after Jonah's message to the Assyrian people, the area of Galilee, probably including Jonah's hometown, was destroyed by the Assyrians (2 Kings 15:29).

Montfort, Crusader Castle

Click picture for higher-resolution version.

One of the most significant Crusader forts in the land of Israel is Montfort, constructed by the Knights of the Teutonic Order in 1226. The name of this impressive fort appropriately means "Strong Mountain." It is strategically located in western Galilee near a road leading to Acco (Acre). The castle fell to the Sultan Baybars in 1271, five years after it was initially attacked. The fortress was destroyed on July 4 of that year and the site has never been resettled.

Mount Hermon

Click picture for higher-resolution version.

Above the ski slopes of Mount Hermon the mountain continues to rise to an elevation of 9,232 feet (2,814 m). Today the highest parts of the mountain are controlled by the militaries of Israel, Syria, and Lebanon, and are not accessible to non-military personnel. The highest point of the ski resort is at 6,600 feet (2,073 m) elevation. Only Israel has ski facilities on the mountain, though a plan for a $15 billion(!) resort was unveiled by Syria some years ago.

Sea of Galilee with Cliffs of Arbel

Click picture for higher-resolution version.

This panoramic image was taken from the peak of Mount Nitai, just west of the Arbel cliffs and the Sea of Galilee. Left of center, the Wadi Hammam is traced by a modern road which follows the same path of an ancient, international north-south route. On the side of the Sea of Galilee is the Plain of Gennesaret and ruins of the New Testament city of Capernaum. Some have suggested that Arbel could have been the solitary place where Jesus prayed (Luke 5:16) or the mountain where he gave the Great Commission (Matt 28:16).

FORWARD THIS NEWSLETTER

Please pass this newsletter link on to others. They can subscribe to this newsletter here. It is cost-free and spam-free. Email addresses will never be used for any purpose other than this newsletter. If you have questions about the subscription process, see this page.

To subscribe or unsubscribe to this newsletter, click here.