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Israel Study Tour with Dr. Tim Keiper and Pastor Paul Petersen
June 18-29, 2016
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How we love each other
The day started with visit to the Beth Shean tell. The Romans built there a very sophisticated city. Jewish culture of the time had built a beautiful templein Jerusalem. In Tim’s message, given while overlooking the ruins of the city, God wants us to be living stones chiseled to fit into the temple of God. We all are important to the temple. God wants to live in our temple. The presence of God is among us. God wants the whole world to know who God is by how we love each other.
Beth Shean
Located 17 miles (27 km) south of the Sea of Galilee, Beth Shean is situated at the strategic junction of the Harod and Jordan Valleys. The fertility of the land and the abundance of water led the Jewish sages to say, “If the Garden of Eden is in the land of Israel, then its gate is Beth Shean.” It is no surprise then that the site has been almost continuously settled from the Chalcolithic period to the present.
Next we went to Mt. Arbel. It is located next to the Sea of Galilee. It is thought that Jesus went here to pray all night on one occasion. The disciples had started to row across the lake but couldn’t make any headway because of heavy winds. Jesus left the mountain and walked on water to the disciples. Jesus said don’t be afraid-it is I. We talked about how he watched them struggle all night-but didn't intervene right away. To conclude our visit to Mt Arbel some of us climbed down a cliff area that had heavy metal hand holds to hold onto as we worked our way down the rock face of the cliff.
Mount Arbel
Mount Arbel (Hebrew: הר ארבל, Har Arbel) is a mountain in The Lower Galilee near Tiberias in Israel, with high cliffs, views of Mount Hermon in the Golan Heights, trails to a cave-fortress, and ruins of an ancient synagogue. Mt. Arbel sits across from Mount Nitai; their cliffs were created as a result of the Jordan Rift Valley and the geological faults that produced the valleys.
Our next stop was the Jordan river at a fairly isolated area north of the Sea of Galilee. Three of the group were baptized. All three gave very moving testimonies and then were baptized in the Mayim Chaim (living water) of the Jordan. The rest of the group then found a place appropriate for them in the water and then we all were guided to remember our own baptisms. After a time of prayer and song we left feeling warm and celebratory – baptisms in the Jordan River- a very special time.
In the evening we took a boat ride out in Sea of Galilee. The wind was up and waves kind of choppy. Several passages were read from the Bible about Jesus and the Sea of Galilee. Several folks gave their impressions and thoughts of our visit to the Galilee area.
Written by Mark Fisher
Sea of Galilee
The Sea of Galilee is fed by the Jordan River, rainfall and springs on the northern side. More properly designated a lake, the Kinneret (the OT and modern name) is 13 miles long and 7 miles wide. At its deepest point the lake is only 150 feet deep. The rabbis said of it, “Although God has created seven seas, yet He has chosen this one as His special delight.”
Mayim Chaim by Christine Keiper
Mayim Chaim (pronounced roughly "my-eem ky-eem") means living water in Hebrew.
Remember, and
Rest.
Rest.
Maim Chaim rising, rising from the deep,
bursting into air and light,
flows,
flows,
to us, to me.
Lean into the gentle current that runs in rippling caress around the curve of body,
under and through that which binds,
bearing away heat and cares, burdens and troubled thought.
Rest,
Rest in the arms of Mayim Chaim.
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