Holy Land – Three Seas and one Lake

There are three Seas (salt water) in the Holy the Land often referred to in jest as the Red, Med (Mediterranean) and the Dead. As a nation, one third of Israel’s land mass is nothing more than a desert. To such a land God provided a fresh water river, fed by three springs in the North which empties into the Lake of Galilee. The river Jordan flows first into the Lake of Galilee (the water is fresh, so technically it’s not a Sea as it has often come to be called) which then flows into the dead Sea in the South.

The Lake of Galilee also called the Lake Tiberius (named after the city that was built by Herod Antipas after his patron the Roman Emperor) is twenty one kilometres long and 13 kilometres wide.  To its East rises the Golan Heights which could funnel strong winds through the mountains that touch a height of 9232 feet causing a perfect storm in minutes. Don’t be fooled by this idyllically looking mass of water body. The Bible records some nasty storms here.

Our hotel was situated on the Western banks of the Lake of Galilee in the city Tiberius. Just imagine your self-waking up and gazing at the Lake where four miracles of Jesus were performed; two on shore and two on the lake. I imagined my self being tossed in the middle of the night on the boat in pitch darkness, fear of death encompassing me, crying out for help while I battled the storm like Peter and the disciples.

Where was the Lord in my suffering? Mathew 14:22 onwards tells us that while the disciples were battling the waves that were against them, Jesus was watching over them from the very mountains that surround the lake; He was praying for them.  The Lord may not be in our boat always while we are in the storm but He is certainly watching and praying for us.