Pursuing Jesus in Israel - Mt. Arbel & Nazareth

We started the day driving through Tiberius on our way to Mt. Arbel. There we drank in amazing views of the valley below, including the Sea of Galilee.  While on top we were treated to Michael leading us in song, and Jim talked about the question, "Why did Jesus move to Galilee?" He jumped into Matthew 4:12-16 where there is reference there to Isaiah 9 that talks about a time when God would bring honor to the land of Galilee, realized in Jesus coming to minister here. Isaiah 9:6 says, "For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on his shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace." Jim noted that we read this prophecy fulfilled thinking about this being in the context of great peace.  However, when Jesus came it was in the context of great conflict, and He spoke to the Jews who desired military deliverance.  This is why so many dismissed Jesus as the Messiah.

Today Nazareth is a large modern city. We came into a section called Ancient Nazareth, which is very small, and was the area Jesus grew up in.  We entered a church, The Basilica of the Annunciation, which was built to celebrate Gabriel's message to Mary regarding the virgin birth. Mary was the "insignificant" person that God chose to be the mother of Jesus, and because she trusted God and was obedient she became one of the most significant persons to have ever lived, setting a model for us to trust and obey. Our next stop was just around the corner to the convent of the Sisters of Nazareth, who came to Nazareth in 1850.  They purchased land for their convent, and subsequently discovered that buried below the convent was a first century home and a tomb. 

We then had pizza at Mazzawi Nazarine, a gift shop run by Palestinian Christians, Sam (father) and his son, Leon.  Our final stop was Nazareth Ridge, the "traditional" site used to commemorate the place where the crowd took Jesus to throw him over a precipice after he read from Isaiah (Luke 4:16-30). As we looked out from the ridge, we saw the Jezreel Plain, which is where the Battle of Mediggo (Armageddon) will be fought when the nations line up to oppose Jesus Christ when He returns.

View from Mt. Arbel

On top of My. Arbel 

Shannon & Liam during teaching session on Mt. Arbel

Outside of the Basilica of the Annunciation (B of A) 

Inside B of A 

Inside B of A


Sisters of Nazareth (S of N) 1st Cent. House


First Century House 

First Century Tomb

Leon at Mazzawi Nazarine Gift Shop

Sam at Mazzawi Nazarine Gift Shop


Nazareth Ridge overlooking Jezreel Plain

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