Galilee Day 2

For our second day, we started at Tell-Hazor. Hazor is located at the southern end of the Huleh Basin. At this position Hasor guards international travel and trade. When Babylon was the major power, Hazor was the end of the trade to the west. When Egypt was the major power, Hazor was the end of the trade to the north. In both cases Hazor was the end destination to far reaching trade.

Hazor was a major city with an upper city section for the rich and elite community. This section was what Solomon fortified when he took power. There was also a lower city where the common people lived and worked. The lower city was quite large. In all, Hazor reached approximately 200 acres. After the Assyrians destroyed the city, however, it never again was prominent.

From Hazor we travelled to what I now consider my favorite part of Israel, Tell Dan. This beautiful site is also a nature preserve, I believe. What is nice about this area are all the trees (some with turning leaves) and abundant source of water. No wonder the tribe of Dan moved here, though of course they should have taken the land God gave them.

At tell-Dan we sat in front of the area that would have held the four horned alter. Jeroboam was the king who instituted alters both at Dan and Bethel, the northern and southern boundaries of his kingdom. Jeroboam is always connected with a great sin and leading Israel into sin. Later kings are said to have committed the sin of Jeroboam, so obviously it was very bad. The question is then, what exactly was the sin of Jeroboam? My professor suggests that the sin is him choosing his own good instead of what God has said to be good. Jeroboam has a lot of what looked like Judaism in his kingdom, yet it is fashioned in his own way. For example, he does not use Levites for priests, but priests of his own choosing. Jeroboam is veering the people to his own way of doing things, which they run with further and further away from God.

I can definitely identify with often believing that I know what would be good for me. However, God is the only One who is truly all knowing and good. Though, He never promises His way will be easier, but it will lead to life where as my sinful ways lead to death.

At another section of the Dan site we looked at the gate complex. In the inner gate is located a throne area, where either an idol would stand or the king sits to pass judgment. The gate area is also important because commerce takes place there, which means a lot of traffic passes through. The poor would come here to beg, hoping for generous passer bys.

From Tell-Dan we travelled to Caesarea Philippi. At this location the Ptolemais built a temple to Pan, the god often pictured as a dancing goat. This is the place where Jesus asked the disciples who they said He was. Peter makes the important declaration that Jesus is the Son of God, the hoped for Messiah. Here also Jesus tells His disciples that He is going to die. This of course is an outrageous idea to them, because their idea of the Messiah involved a military victory over the empire. However, Jesus shows them that God's ways are higher than our ways. God's leader is to be a servant, coming in humility and not looking like the world's idea of strength. God's good is more far reaching that just taking down the Roman Empire, but in taking down sin and death completely.

Our last stop on this day was at the Golan Heights. From this area we could look out over the Golan area and see the ancient volcanoes. We could also see the border between Israel and Jordan. That was at least until the cloud came upon the mountain and visibility was zero.

~Jennilee~