The Sea Of Galilee

Good morning and welcome to Our Daily Walk.

Audio version at http://tinyurl.com/ytwoh3

Perhaps you have been to personally see some of the places where Jesus walked upon the earth. If so, you are greatly blessed. I haven’t been yet, and I don’t know that I’ll ever get the chance to walk where our Savior walked. But I would imagine it is a very humbling experience to see these places. To gaze out over the Sea of Galilee and recall the miracles of Jesus would be an especially great experience. 18 of the 33 recorded miracles of Jesus were most likely done very close to this body of water.

The Sea of Galilee is known by other names as well in the Bible. It is also referred to as the Sea of Chinneroth, the Lake of Gennesaret and the Sea of Tiberias. It is a very important body of water, providing for the livelihood of many people.

The sea itself is some 700 feet below sea level and is about 150 feet deep in some places. It is 13 miles long and 8 miles wide and is fed by the Jordan River.

If you look at a map of Palestine in the back of your Bible you will note that most of the towns and cities around the Sea of Galilee are on the north and west shore of that body of water. The reason for this is that there are very steep slopes on the other sides. Bethsaida, Capernaum and Tiberias are some of the places named in the Bible that are on the shores of this body of water.

Storms could quickly arise on the sea. Situated below sea level, this sea, which is more accurately a large lake, is surrounded by high mountains. Cool air from the mountains rushes down and mixes with the very warm air on the surface of the water. This sometimes results in sudden and violent storms.

Mark 1:16-20 tells us that Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee and there He found Simon and Andrew who were casting a net into the sea. He called them out and said, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” Mark 1:17. Then He also saw James and John in their boats and likewise called them to come. They left their nets in the boat with their father and followed Jesus.

The feeding of the 5,000 happened near this water. This is the only miracle of Jesus that is found in all four gospels. Can you imagine what it would be like to be near that place? Just picture in your mind this great crowd of people following Jesus around and then sitting down in groups of 50’s and 100’s.

The Sea of Galilee was also the place where Jesus walked on water. We find the following in John 6:15-21.

Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.

Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them. Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing. So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid. But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.

I’ve seen many pictures of the Sea of Galilee as well as some of the towns and land that surround this body of water. Maybe one day I’ll be able to go there in person and walk around a portion of that lake. I think that would be a very gratifying time in my life.

But I don’t have to physically go there to believe what God says happened around that area. I don’t have to know the exact place where the 5,000 sat down to eat to believe that it happened.

I believe that Jesus healed, taught and walked in that region. I believe that he walked upon the surface of that water and that it was under His control. I believe because God has provided us all with a wonderful record of the life of our Lord. Thanks be to God for His great love for us.

On Our Daily Walk today, may we continue to be good students of the word of God and look to learn something each time we open up our Bibles. May we take some time today to reflect on what it must have been like to actually witness Jesus walking and healing while here on earth.

Our thought for the day: “Keep your Bible open and you will not find the door to heaven shut.”

May God bless you on your daily walk.

© Our Daily Walk, Mike Baker, 2007. Permission is granted to copy these articles provided they are not sold and the author's name and copyright are included.