Another beautiful morning following our normal routine of up at 6am, breakfast buffet at 7am, and scheduled to leave by 7:45am. That was a good plan, until one person (out of 90) overslept and another left something in his room. It was nice NOT to have to repack our luggage, since we would finally be staying for a second night in this same hotel. The only thing to pack was a swimsuit for those desiring to be baptized in the Jordan River.
We drove through the city of Tiberias and along the Sea of Galilee. It was a little overcast, but absolutely beautiful! Our first stop would be the city of Caesaria Philippi, also known as Banias (Paneas). The city was the location of the temple to Pan, the half man - half goat god. Pan was known for his vile sexual perversions and the area was an example of the great wickedness found in the heart of man.
At this site, there is a cave known as the "Gates of Hell" containing a pit and a river flowing from it. It was believed this was the river Styx, the passage way to the underworld. An earthquake resulted in the pit being filled in. There is still a river flowing through Banias. This river is the source for the Jordan River. See pictures and read more on this link: http://www.bibleistrue.com/qna/pqna45.htm
It was at the "Gates of Hell" or near this location that Jesus said in Matt 16:18, "...I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." He was implying that all the wickedness of the world, could not stop God's plan of salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ! This was an object lesson to His disciples, and a promise to mankind!
As we were leaving Caesaria Philippi, we saw Mt. Hermon upon which it snowed during our visit and set a record for the earliest snowfall on record for that location. We passed through the Golan Heights, the area belonging to the tribes of Dan and Mannaseh. This area borders Lebanon, and in biblical times, Golan was a city of refuge.
We continued to the Mt. of Beattitudes at which we had a service in an outdoor theater located near the site of the feeding of the 5,000, and the traditionally accepted location where Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount. This site offered a beautiful view of the Sea of Galilee and (as it is with so many sites) it housed a Catholic church and school.
We enjoyed lunch at a Lebanese restaurant, where some enjoyed whole Talapia (fish) with the eyes looking at them as they picked the meat off the bones. The meal also included French Fries, and bread & hummus.
Due to the time and overcast weather, we postponed the boat ride on the Sea of Galilee and went to the Jordan River for the baptisms. The baptisms were only symbolic and allowed people to be baptized in the same river where Jesus was baptized. For $10, you got a robe, towel, and certificate.
All was well, until we got into the water -- It was FREEZING, but the Muskrats and the large catfish we shared the water with didn't mind the temperature at all. This was a very special time as I was able to baptize those in our group, then Justin baptized Flora and I. This was a memory we will never forget.
From there, it was back to the hotel for a warm shower, followed by supper and a group meeting.
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