From Tel Aviv to the Sea of Galilee

On Tuesday, February 23 (which was the first full day of our exploration) we traveled from Tel Aviv to the City of Tiberius. We traveled along the Via Maris ( "way of the sea") which has been a common trade route since the Bronze Age and therefore still used by many during biblical times. The Via Maris passes through the Sharon Plain, as described in Song of Solomon 2:1-2.


We continued North to the port city of Caesarea, built by Herod the Great. The Book of Acts has many accounts of activity that occurred in Caesarea: (1) Acts 18:22 when Paul visits after his second missionary journey; (2) Acts 10 when Peter presents the Gospel to Cornelius (the first time the Gospel is presented to the Gentiles); (3) Acts 23-27 when Paul is imprisoned there for 2 years and appears before Felix and Festus. Of course, ruins that still hold secrets and stories of Caesarea are Herod's Theater, The Stone Pilate, Herod's Palace, Herod's Arena, and the Harbor.

HEROD'S COMPOUND

Herod's Theater - Reconstructed

 

Notice how original stones are innerspersed with new.

PILATE THE STONE

This is the only discovered evidence that Pontius Pilate existed. Notice the last 6 letters of the second line: PILATV.

HEROD'S PALACE

Herod's freshwater swimming pool overlooking the salt waters of the Mediterranean Sea.

Foreground - stone column bases from Herod's Palace.

Midground - garden area from the Palace.

HEROD'S ARENA (also known as the Hippodrome, meaning "horse track"

The arena was used for chariot races. This is looking from the center of the arena toward the spectator's seats. This is all original excavation and has not been reconstructed.

THE HARBOR

The harbor that was built by Herod here at Caesarea lies just beyond this more modern structure, built by immigrants well after biblical times.

Leaving Herod's complex at Caesarea, we continued North on the Via Maris up to Mt. Carmel.  While Mt. Carmel is where Elijah confronts the prophets of Baal (I Kings 18:1-10:4).

Looking from atop Mt. Carmel where Elijah was victorious over the prophets of Baal.  Notice in the center of the picture where the "Brook Kishon" lies, as mentioned in I Kings 18:40.

THE CLIFFS OF ARBEL

The Via Maris runs between the cliffs of Arbel, where the path narrows to only about 200 yards.  From this vantage point, one can see not only the entire Sea of Galilee, but a "snapshot" of Jesus' area of ministry.

 

For my next post, items of interest will photos and comments of the Sea of Galilee, Capernaum, and Caesarea Philippi.