Sunrise in the Galilee

Looking from right to left is the sunrise from the back deck of the Galilee Branch House. What can you say about the sunrise over the Sea of Galilee? This unique little lake is 12.5 miles long and 7 miles wide and only 150 feet deep. Its surface is 700 feet below sea level. Mind you, 700 BELOW sea level. I have heard some say it is the navel of the earth. However, the Dead Sea is lowest spot on the planet at 1,385 feet below sea level. We immediately noted that the sky and the lake blend together on an average day so that you can’t tell where the other side is because there is always sort of a mist in the air. That’s because evaporation takes place at a high rate.

Another interesting fact about the lake is its many names.

“The Old Testament refers to it as Yam Chinnereth (sea of the harp) because of its shape. Matthew (4:18) and Mark (1:16) call it the Sea of Galilee, referring to the region; John (6:1) labels it the Sea of Tiberias because of Antipas’ caption on the west shore; Luke (5:1) names it the Lake of Gennesaret (a Hellenized version of Chinnereth). It is called Kinneret in Modern Hebrew.” --BYU Jerusalem Center Field Trip Manual

Also from the Field Trip Manual are these events of the Jesus’ Galilean ministry.

Jesus taught from Peter’s boat. Luke 5:1-3

Jesus called Peter, Andrew, James and John to be “ fishers of men.” Mt 4:18-22, Mk1:16-20, Lk5:11

Jesus calmed the storm on the Sea of Galilee Mt 8:23-27, Lk 8:22-25

Jesus taught parables of the sower, wheat & tares, mustard seed, leaven, hidden treasure, pearl of great price, and the net cast into the sea. Mt 13

Walking on the sea, Jesus bade Peter to come to him. Mt 14:22-33, Jn 6:15-21

Jesus healed the ill and lame who were brought to him. Mt 14: 34-36

Jesus taught His disciples about humility and forgiveness. Mt 18

After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to His Apostles at the Sea of Tiberias. Jn 21

It is just awesome to think that these experiences occurred here and we are beginning to see and understand the geography of those experiences and how they have been kept in hearts and minds of mankind throughout the 20 centuries since they occurred.

As I sit here typing at my table, the windows are open and I can get up and go look at the sea. The birds are chirping and I get the feeling that I am suspended in time and space. But reality strikes! We must get all the windows cleaned before District Visitors on Shabbot which is Saturday. We are deep cleaning all the window fixtures which are clogged with sand, bugs and dirt. There are two large banks of windows, 28 other windows, plus 2 small louvered windows and a glass double door 6x8’. It will great when it is all finished, but right now I don’t want to get up and get at it! Fortunately, both Carl and I are working on it, but we are ready to move onto other projects like seeing if the neighbor will fix his sewer which is running onto Branch property, removing huge overgrown decorative grass, as well as a black mold problem on the upper level ceiling, to name just a few! But are most important other projects are the visits to the Branch members all over the Galilee area which goes from Haifa to Upper Northern Galilee. That, of course, does not take into account the other outreach projects we are discussing with St. Joseph’s School and a university in Nazareth.