Day 4

We started the day with a trip to the Mount of Beatitudes, where Jesus delivered the sermon of the same name and where the multiplication of the loaves of bread and fish occurred. It was a beautiful view - we had no idea that parts of Israel were so lush and green. (The picture of Ben and I is on the Mount with the Sea of Galilee in the background.) We hiked in the Tel Dan nature reserve (1 Kings 12) (picture of Ben) and then we drove along the Lebanese and Syrian borders, past the fences with signs warning of the mine fields that separate the countries and arrived at Caesarea Philippi (Matthew 16:13-20) We were staring at the "Gates of Hades" while our guide read the scripture where Jesus was talking about that very place. It was times like these in Israel that I cannot find the words to describe.

We then traveled on to Capernaum which literally translates "The City of Jesus". He spent much of his time here, and again, we looked over the ruins of this town while our guide read us scripture after scripture that Jesus spoke while at Capernaum and it gave Ben and I a whole new understanding of His Word. (Luke 11: 5-8, John 14: 2-3, Matthew 6:5-6, Luke 13: 25-28)...unbelievable! (The picture shows the ruins at Capernaum).

We finished the day with a boat ride across the Sea of Galilee. The same sea where Jesus walked on water and calmed the storm.