This region has been known for many earthquakes dating back to before the time of Christ. It has been devastated by earthquakes in the 1800’s and a major flood in the early 1900’s. The area has been restored and rebuilt over the years and stands as a picturesque city on the shores of Galilee today.
Rodger left early in the morning to travel to Gomah, where he saw endangered vultures being raised by the Israelis to bring them back. In Gomah he saw an ancient oil press from the Byzantine period that was used to crush olives. These presses seemed to be many places in Israel. Gomah is also where “Masada of the North” was lactated. Masada of the North refers to the area around Gomah that the Romans destroyed in 67 AD and where tradition records that the Jews who were resisting the Romans jumped off the hill in Gomah and killed themselves, although this has not been proven in history. Masada of the North is not to be confused with Masada near the Dead Sea which we will see later.
Miriam, our guide introduced our group to a man who would tell his story at the site of the border between Israel and Lebanon. On this historic site Rodger could see from Israel into Lebanon. On the Israeli side of the border there were spy cameras and sophisticated listening devices pointing at Lebanon to monitor any invasive activity on the part of the Lebanese.
Ari Ben Yaakov is a Jewish man who was raised in Ohio in the United States. He went to Israel as a young man in his twenties and remained there until now, in his seventies. He felt drawn back to Israel because he was influenced by the Zionist movement. In the picture he is wearing a t-shirt that lists all the ancient civilizations that have come against Israel over the centuries and are now gone, while Israel is the only one still standing.
On the border of Israel and Lebanon Rodger saw rocket launchers that were used when the Palestinians had the land before Israel secured it.
After leaving the border, the group traveled to the Mount of Beatitudes where Christ delivered the Sermon on the Mount.
The next stop was the Golan Heights where Rodger saw the border between Israel and Syria. He also viewed the land that was captured by Israel during the 1967 six day war. The strip is now under the control of the UN peace keeping forces.
It is amazing the struggles that Israel has been through over the centuries. God has brought her out of many situations that should have ended her permanently, but she keeps returning as prophecy said she would.
Catholic Church at the Mount of Beatitudes
Border between Israel and Lebanon
Fence between Israel and Syria
Listening Divice in Israel Pointed at Lebanon
Cameras pointed at Lebanon located in Israel
Rocket Launchers left by the Palastinians on Israel Land
Rocket Launchers left by the Palastinians on Israel Land
