Galilee Field Study Day 4 - Oct. 29 – Wrapping up the conversations

Wrapping up the Galilee Field study today is a lot. I have really enjoyed the conversations that were talked about and to some degree I think that the conversations and discussions that stem from the locations and contexts might be even more important than the specific sites. With this field study there have been quite a few discussions and often we have been adding onto them throughout the trip. So I’m going to attempt to wrap up some of the things that we have talked about and some of the things that have stood out to me. There is a lot that I could talk about, and these are just a couple things that have stood out to me. 

One of the conversations that I found interesting was the conversation about what do we do with the things that are found that seem to be from other cultures and religions. We stopped at Sepphoris where there are mosaics on the floor of the synagogue that are from the 5^th c. A.D. These intricate mosaics have amazing pictures of the stories of the Bible and in the center there is a calendar/Zodiac symbol type thing. It raises the questions, why are there images of people in a synagogue and why is there a Zodiac.  Sepphoris isn’t the only place where things like this are found. Other synagogues have things that seem to be against what they are suppose to have.

I appreciate that it was pointed out that just because there are symbols that are often connected to other religions and cultures that it doesn’t automatically guarantee that there is synchronism going on here. Maybe it is a motif that is common during this time... maybe this is an attempt at being ‘current’. Maybe this is similar to the church that are trying their hardest to be ‘culturally relevant’ even if it mean adopting things that are not traditional. How do balance being in this world and being able to relate to it, yet to be distinct and not to be caught up in it? I don’t have all the answers to it, but maybe this is an older issue that it is often made out to be.

At the beginning of this field study we started out at the Jordan River talking about the imagery of water. This powerful image is present in creation and all the way throughout the Bible. It is not surprising that this imagery shows up at the very end of the Bible as well.  Throughout the Bible and in the Middle Eastern cultures the sea is a symbol of chaos, death, unpredictable storms and evil. Throughout the scriptures references to large bodies of water are often in a negative connotation. Water in the form of rain and dew are good for growing things and is a blessing, but when it is in the sea, it is restless, unrelenting and chaotic.  This is evident in many of the other religions as well.

walking onto of the aqueducts

Roman aqueducts - over 2000 years old

 At the end of Revelation John is telling us about what the New Jerusalem will look like. “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.” Revelation 21:1. It was suggested that the ocean may still be there, that there still will be bodies of water to enjoy, but it will no longer be restless and chaotic.  Our God is a God of order and peace, and in the kingdom where he reigns there will be such.

First thing this morning we hiked down mount Arbel. This mountain, though not specifically mentioned in the Bible seems to be a prominent mountain in the geography of the land of Galilee. There is a possibility that it may be been reference when Jesus talks of a high mount. It is fairly close to the area and it pretty obvious, (and a lot of fun to climb down). At the end of Jesus’ ministry his gather’s his disciples on a mountain and tells them that they are to take his message to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the World.  From on the top of this mountain it is possible to see many different areas including the Roman. This is an area where the roads crossed, where the disciples were a microcosm of the people of Israel and the nations are walking the road at the foot of the mountain. 

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hiked up to the crusader remains

 Maybe the promise of Isaiah is something that we still have to look forward to. It still seems like it isn’t fulfilled fully yet. When the nations will worship together in complete peace.

Isaiah 19:23-25

 In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. The Assyrians will go to Egypt and the Egyptians to Assyria. The Egyptians and Assyrians will worship together.  In that day Israel will be the third, along with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing on the earth.  The Lord Almighty will bless them, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance.”