1998 Israel Tour: Day Two: March 8
Sea of Galilee, Capernaum, Bethsaida, Hazor, Dan, Banias

Sunday Morning Sunrise

Early morning overlooking the Sea of Galilee from our hotel in Tiberias. We held a worship service in one of the hotel meeting rooms before we began our day of sightseeing.

Sea of Galilee

Boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, pulling away from Tiberias.

Sea of Galilee

Dave Merry waves to us from the bow of our wooden boat on the Sea of Galilee.

Sea of Galilee

Ferrell Jenkins, our tour leader, points out the entry of the Jordan River into the Sea of Galilee for Thaxter Dickey and Doug Seaton.

Sea of Galilee

Catherine Bethea reflecting on our voyage across the Sea.

Synagogue at Capernaum

The ruins of Capernaum, a city on the coast of the Sea of Galilee where Jesus taught and performed miracles. The large white structure in the background is of a synagogue, built after the time of Jesus, but thought to stand on perhaps the same foundation as the synagogue of the time of Jesus.

On Jordan's (Stormy) Bank

David Williams standing on the east bank of the Jordan River just north of the Sea of Galilee.

Bethsaida

It's me, Dave, once again, standing on the top of et-Tell, now believed to be the ruins of Bethsaida of New Testament times. In the Old Testament, this place was Geshur, where Absalom hid from his father David after killing Amnon, his half-brother. Absalom's mom, Maacah, was the daughter of the king of Geshur. Anyway, I'm standing here at the gate of the OT city.

St. Peter's Fish at Dan

Thaxter Dickey prepares to enjoy a "Saint Peter's Fish" for lunch. Note the shekel in the fish's mouth. When the issue of paying the temple tax arose among the disciples, Jesus told Peter to catch a fish, and he would find a coin in its mouth for paying the tax (Matthew 17:24-27). The kind of fish Thaxter is about to eat is apparently only found in the Sea of Galilee, and it got its name because it will, for protection, temporarily hold its young inside its mouth. (The coin in this picture, however, was supplied by our tour leader.) Note also the Hebrew Coca-Cola can.

Caesarea Philippi

Banias, or Caesarea Philippi in the New Testament, at the base of Mount Hermon, the source of one of the tributaries of the Jordan River. Here Peter made his good confession that Jesus was the Son of the Living God. Jesus declared that upon that rock, He would build His church.

Caesarea Philippi

Our tour guide, Yehuda Guy, on the left, and Ferrell Jenkins, our tour leader.

Golan Heights

Pat Stagner and Ferrell enjoy the frigid breeze near the border of Israel and Syria in the Golan Heights.

Bridge of Jacob's Daughters

Thaxter sitting on the Bridge of Jacob's Daughters over the Jordan River. We talked him out of jumping off the bridge. We don't know why.