We left the Ein Gev kibbutz this morning and headed back to the west side of the lake and climbed back out of the Galilee basin. As we were leaving the Sea of Galilee, we crossed the Jordan river and passed by a popular spot where people get baptized. At that site, the person must buy a baptismal robe in order to enter the Jordan River for baptism. Russian Jews who get baptized there keep that robe and then use it as their burial garment to signify that they are "buried in Christ". I think that is a really meaningful thing to do. Our first stop was Sopphoris (called Ziporri today). On this site, Herod Antipas (son of Herod the Great) built a beautiful city in the Greco -Roman style.The sidewalks are paved with mosaic tiles in a herringbone pattern. There was a large floor mosaic with pictures of birds, animals, and scenes of everyday life depicted. There was also the face of a beautiful woman inlaid in this floor mosaic. She is called the Mona Lisa of the Galilee for her beauty. From here, we could look out to see the site where the wedding feast of Cana most likely took place. This is where Jesus' turned the water into wine. That was His first recorded miracle. We left there and traveled toward the junction of the Jezreel Valley and the Harod Valley. The Harod Springs is at the base of Mt. Gilboa. Saul died on Mt. Gilboa when he was defeated by the Philistines. Also, this spring is the site where Gideon reduced his fighting force from 10,000 men down to 300 according to the direction of God. With this small force he defeated the Midianites. The lesson from this Bible happening is the "sufficiency of God". Also, very near here is where Jezebel was thrown from a high window and run over by a chariot, thus meeting her well deserved end. I guess the lesson here is; stay away from open windows! We had Bible study here and ate a picnic lunch. Next, we traveled through the Harod Valley to Beth-shan. This city was built around 3BC in the Greco-Roman style as a way to get the people "Romanized" in order to promote allegiance to Rome. This place is enormous and has a theatre, public baths, streets lined with towering columns, etc......we walked 250 feet up a hill to look back down on that city. What a view! While we were up there, the wind was blowing with gusts more than 30 mph. There is a lone tree at the very top that is scrawny and bare. This site was used in the movie "Jesus Christ Superstar" for the scene where Judas hangs himself. After we had come back down the hill and explored the ruins, we headed South through the Jordan River Valley and then back up to Jerusalem. We checked back into the Gloria Hotel and most of us even got the same rooms. Several of us headed out for pizza and enjoyed the sights and sounds of a street festival that was going on in the old city. There were dancers in the streets performing, acrobats suspended way up high with a crane, drummers, lights, etc.....It lasted until around 10:00 p.m. Lots of people crowding the streets having a high old time.
(I climbed that hill in the background)
Gideon's Spring looks beautiful. Great Post.
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