Arbel Cliffs

On our 3rd day, the bus took us to the Arbel Cliffs that tower 700 feet above the Sea of Galilee.

 We came across some tares and he gave us the lesson of the wheat and the tares.  (Matt. 13)

We walked to the edge of the cliffs.  What a beautiful panoramic view overlooking the plain of Magdala with a view looking northeast toward Capernaum.

Jim announced that we would be climbing down the cliffs.  But he said that if any were faint of heart (afraid of heights!) or had physical issues, then the bus would take those people to the bottom and we could meet the climbers.  After my experience at the slot canyons in Utah, I decided to take the bus!  I definitely have the fear of height- or should I say the "fear of fall"!!!

I took a picture of Al with the pharmacy mascot in his hand - Lortab.

I gave Al a "good-bye" kiss in case he fell, and bid him farewell!

There were about 7 of us who decided to ride the bus for one reason or another.

Our bus driver took us to the bottom of the cliffs and showed us the path to travel to go meet up with the crew coming down from the top!

"In the first century BC the Romans brought violence and hardship to the people living near Capernaum.  Herod the Great was attempting to solidify the Roman control in this region, which was known as the "Galilee of the Gentiles" (Matt. 4:15)  Toward that end, he sought to clean out the resistance fighters who had hidden themselves and their families in cave homes lining the steep cliffs.  Those resisting Rome thought the topography would provide adequate protection.  But Herod had Roman soldiers lowered in baskets over the edge of the cliff to slaughter the families."

 

Here are some pictures I got from one of the hikers who braved it.

You’re my cave to hide in, my cliff to climb. Be my safe leader, be my true mountain guide. Free me from hidden traps; I want to hide in you. I’ve put my life in your hands. You won’t drop me, you’ll never let me down.
Psalm 31:2-4, The Message

My husband made it!!

Here is the path we took to meet up with them.  Isn't it peaceful and beautiful?

Jim told us that Jesus and His disciples would have traveled this "road" often and perhaps even drunk from this spring.

"The path of the righteous is level;

O upright One, 

You make the way of the righteous smooth."

Isaiah 26:7

Nazareth

After we left Megiddo, the bus took us to Nazareth.

In the Biblical times, it was a small, insignificant village.  Today it is home to more than 80,000.

The bus let us off and we walked the rest of the way uphill to the Church of the Annunciation.

The church covers almost the entirety of the ancient town of Nazareth, whose population was in the hundreds, similar to Al's little hometown of Pretty Prairie, where everyone knows everybody.  

Mary and Joseph were betrothed and living in Nazareth.   It wasn't like the western idea of engagement.  Evidently, girls were betrothed between the age of 3 and 11.  Then they would marry at 12 1/2 or after.  Fathers usually arranged a daughter's marriage as soon as possible.  "Betrothal contracts were often made within the tribal families as such arrangements kept financial resources, customs, and physical security within the extended family unit."  (much like my husband and I who are 3rd cousins!!  And he is a 3rd cousin to himself too!)

The church was established at the site, where according to Roman Catholic tradition, the angel Gabriel, appeared to Mary to tell her that she would conceive the Saviour of the world.

But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God.  You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.  He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”  Luke 1:30-33

The current church is a two-story building constructed in 1969 over the site of an earlier Byzantine-era and then Crusader-era church.

The lower level contains the Grotto of the Annunciation, believed by many Christians to be the remains of the original childhood home of Mary.

Inside the cave stands an altar with the Latin inscription “Here the Word was made flesh”.

All around the walls of the upper level chapel are mosaics from many countries.  This is the one from Japan.  In the picture above, the mosaic on the far right is the one from America.  It is the only one without the Christ Child represented.

Ancient Nazareth, underneath the church.  This home was from 1000 years before the time of Christ, but probably still in use when He lived there.  Homes in the 1st century were built on top of bedrock into which caves (basements) were hewn.  The cave would function for cooking or as a stable for several sheep and goats and for grain storage.

Who knows but that Mary might not have had a friend or relative in this home?  Perhaps walked down these very steps?

Do you know the name of this cactus?

It is called "mother-in-law's seat"!  I think I might resent that.

We got a tour through a museum at the site.  It displays artifacts dating back to the 1st century.  Here are 5 interestingly carved capitals, discovered buried in a cave in 1908.  They were carved in France and crowned the columns at the entrance of the Crusader church.

Some of the pottery is from 2000 BC!

It was all so interesting!

Joseph's family origin was Bethlehem and the census of Caesar Augustus would have required anyone owning property to register in their home town.  Mary and Joseph would leave Nazareth to go to Bethlehem, not only because Caesar said so, but to fulfill the prophesy regarding Jesus' birth.  (Micah 5:2).

And one day, they would return to this village and Jesus would grow up here.

* * * * *

Leaving Nazareth....

A stop at Megiddo

From the earliest times of historical records and on into the future, Megiddo assumes a prominent role.  Here is Al, on Tel-Megiddo amongst the ruins of a fortress.  (Thanks Marcia for this picture below!)  It was a windy day - kind of like a Kansas day!! 

 Ruins of a stable.

 Manger (or feeding trough), much like Baby Jesus would have been laid in.

Here we are on the southern edge of the Valley of Jezreel.  Looking across the valley, we could see Mt. Tabor and Nazareth.

There have been many battles here over the years (even as recently as WWI); perhaps more bloody encounters than any other spot on the earth.  The continental trade route (Asia, Africa and Europe) is through the Jezreel Valley so whoever controlled this valley would control the trade.

A future battle (Revelation 16) - the battle of Armageddon (Har-Megiddo), the final battleground between the forces of good and evil will take place in this spot.  The final mutiny attempt against God!

Back in the 9th c. BC, King Ahab constructed a massive system with a 30 meter deep shaft and a 70 meter long tunnel.  This tunnel connected the bottom of Ahab's shaft to the spring. Before its construction, Megiddo residents had to leave the city walls in order to get water from the spring.  This tunnel was hewn from both ends at the same time (like Hezekiah's Tunnel) and its builders were only one foot off when meeting in the middle.

Jim took us down this tunnel.  There were 183 steps down to the spring.  I wondered "How in the world will I ever climb back up?!"

 Luckily, there was another way out with way fewer steps!!

Our young moms' Bible study is looking at Matthew 24 and 25 this week where Christ speaks of the end times.  We are warned to "keep watch", and "be ready" because we do not know the day or the hour of our Lord's return.  We are to "stand firm to the end".  May He find us faithful!