Our day today began with a quick trip from the Kibbutz (where we’re staying) over to Cana of Galilee, where Jesus performed his first miracle turning the water at a wedding feast into wine. There is a Catholic church near the site in Cana that allowed us to use one of their courtyard chapels for our group to meet. We met, Malcolm explained some about what was going on biblically in the story, then Maria read John 2:1-11: The Wedding at Cana. I then talked about God’s sovereignty being shown so often through God’s timing. Sometimes we want God on our time line, but that’s not the way it works, is it? Mary, Jesus’ mother, wanted him to do something to save this wedding feast, as they ran out of wine! They were desperate! Mary knew of the mystery of Jesus’ birth and probably wanted to brag on her oldest child on this day, but when she asked, Jesus said ‘No.’ Now was not the time for his purpose to be revealed. After all, he wasn’t under her authority any longer, but he was now operating under a higher authority. Mary finally gave in to God’s timing and told the servants, ‘Just do whatever he tells you to do.’ Even though she couldn’t control the situation, even though she couldn’t have a say as to what the outcome would be, Mary finally turned the timing over to God, trusting that whatever Jesus did, he’d do the right thing. And, we have to do the same. God’s timing is God’s alone. And along with Jesus also came God’s grace. That’s God’s deal alone, too … and many times, we witness God’s grace in our relationships, like the marriage Jesus was there to celebrate that day … and like our marriages. After talking about all of this, we surprised (well, at least one couple) three couples with a time to renew their covenant of marriage, the rest of us being witnesses. Though Dave & Jean Walker, along with Fred & Kat Whitehouse, have been through this before, I believe it was a total surprise to Steve & Julie Colden–a time of reaffirming their marriage (with a Jewish form of blessing) that I’m sure they won’t soon forget. It was in Cana of Galilee, for Pete’s sake!
The Whitehouses, the Coldens, and the Walkers all renew their marriage covenants…
Julie & Steve Colden with certificate of Wedding Covenant Renewal – Cana of Galilee
From Cana, we moved over to the modern day city of Nazareth (about 60% Muslim and 40% Christian). There we drove past the city center and the town’s central well, The Well of Mary. Just to think that Mary and her son, Jesus, would have carried water from this site many a time. It’s just mind-blowing when you think about it! We then ascended up to the top of the high point of the community, what is known today (and was known in Jesus’ day) as ‘the brow of Nazareth’. On top, we got a lesson from Malcolm about the mustard seed, as there was a mustard plant growing up there. We were also reminded about the time Jesus read in the synagogue at Nazareth, put down the scroll, and stated that the scripture he just read was fulfilled in their presence on that day. The rabbis, especially, wanted to stone him–the crime of blasphemy requiring a stoning and a throwing one off a high place onto their heads. So, they ran him up ‘the brow of Nazareth’ and it was there that he slipped through the crowd, escaping with his life…
The whole group listening to Malcolm lecture at Sepphoris…
We moved the group, then, to an ancient site called Sepphoris, the capital city of Galilee at one point. Sepphoris is thought to be Mary, the mother of Jesus’, home town. And Joseph came from Nazareth, right down the road. Sepphoris was a huge city in its day, shown today by ruins of mansions with indoor plumbling, even from 2,000 years ago. Yes, indoor plumbing! And what beautiful mosaics in that city! It just leaves you breathless. By the way, Sepphoris is also the town of Josephus, a Jewish general in charge of Galilee, who didn’t really want to get involved in the Jewish revolt. He was defeated by the Roman armies later on and eventually became their historian–a very bright man indeed!
Pegram Holy Land 2015 Tour looking over the 3D map of Bet Shean…
This afternoon saw us on our way to the ruins of Bet Shean, once the capitol city of the biblical Decapolis (the other 9 cities being across the Jordan River). After a fillafel lunch (Israeli fast food), we took our time going through these ruins–a city where King Saul and his sons were pinned to the wall after their defeat by the Phillistines. We saw great examples at Bet Shean of a Roman Theater (as opposed to a Greek or amphitheater), a Circus Maximus (for sporting events), and the Cardo Maximo (Main Street). A few of our group even went to the top of the tell (Bet Shean): Peter Sensenbrenner, Richard Gauthier, Steve Colden, Janetta Green, and Anna Smoot. Hats off to them for their extra effort today!
Our bus ride back to the Kibbutz was wonderful. We talked about this being our last evening in Galilee and having to be packed and ready to go bright and early tomorrow morning. Tomorrow, we tour sights further west–to the coast of the Mediterranean, ending up in Jerusalem tomorrow night, where we’ll be based out of for the rest of the tour…
With the exception of a few sniffles, and coughs, all seem to be doing well overall. Please continue to pray for us all, for our safety in travel, and for our health. I’d sure like everyone to return home healthy and ready to share with family & friends…
Until tomorrow in the Holy City,
Pastor Rom