Our second day of the Galilean filed trip began with a stop at Tel Hazor the city along the most northern part of the Patriarchs highway. Hazor sits in on the west side of the Hulah Valley. From Hazor one could continue up the Rift Valley or go east to Damascus. Hazor was a key intersection in travel in the Old and New Testaments as well as the route invaders took to possess this vital real estate. Archeology has uncovered a gate named the ‘Solomonic Gate’ which by its name tells us that it is believed to date back to Solomon’s reign during the United Monarchy.
From Hazor we traveled north to Tel Dan up dear the beginning of Mt. Hermon. The springs at Tel Dan are one of three headwaters of the Upper Jordan River. Dan is the city (Leshem) that the tribe of Dan conquered in the hill country during the conquest (Joshua 19:47). They were tired of or unable to overthrow the Philistines so they moved to the hill country of upper Galilee and attacked this city and renamed it Dan. There are multiple gate systems that were discovered in this city. Dan is, along with Bethel one of the two cities that Jeroboam placed the golden calf when Solomon’s kingdom was divided. It seems that in the high place of the city an elaborate temple system was discovered with a huge altar and an additional building behind that has been speculated to be the place of the golden Calf.
It is easy to understand why this city was a desired place. The springs of Dan even in July shows a powerful flow of water that would be plenty to support a thriving city. The waters flow from the filtering of winter snow melt and rain that flows to the clay line of Mt. Hermon and out the Dan Springs.
Caesarea Philippi was our next destination. Another one of the headwaters flows out of the mountain at this spot. This is the location of Peter’s great confession in Mark 8:27-30. There is evidence that several Temples to false gods were established here during Jesus’ time. When Jesus asks the disciple ‘Who do people say I am?’ as well as ‘Who do you say I am? He had the temples in mind. It was this backdrop that provides us with the clear clarion confession of Peter.
Today at the foot of the Temple ruins flows from beneath the Banias Springs (second headwater of the Upper Jordan). In the time of Jesus the spring flowed from the cave where one temple had been built but due to earthquake activity the outlet for the spring is now at the foot of the hill. Our hike for the day was downhill to a location that lead us the Banias Falls. It was absolutely gorgeous, cool, and refreshing. It is hard to believe that in this hot, dry region of Israel we would find an incredible spring with such beauty and refreshment.
Our last part of today’s filed trip took us up into the Golan Heights where we were able to look over the ‘no man’s land’ into a United Nations Base and over into Syria. I was impressed once again by the vastness and yet the small nature of this part of the world. In a matter of hours you could be in Israel, Jordan, West Bank, or Syria. Yet, the whole time I have felt completely safe.
Picture One - Sea of Galilee from Ein Gev at night 25 yards from our cabin
Picture Two - Tiberius at night from across the Dead Sea
Picture Three - Springs at Dan
Picture Four - The Kings seat at the Gate of Dan
Picture Five - Possible high place of Golden Calf of Jeroboam
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