KNOWING YOUR BIBLE June 11, 2022: Dear Friends, Today we will continue in our series on learning the Bible. Return to the April 24 blog by going to the website above left to review and contemplate on the instructions and teachings of how to learn the Bible. Progress forward from that April 24 to last week’s blog. Utilizing this teaching material will be very helpful when learning and studying the Bible. For the past few weeks, this series has focused on learning how the books of the Bible are related to each other. Names of various geographic sites that transverse through many different books of the Bible have been discussed. This has allowed the follower to be able to realize that, even though the topic written about in a specific book the site is mentioned in, may be different, the sites where the events took place are the same, even though written hundreds of years apart. The geographic site of the Sea of Galilee will be discussed in this week’s blog. All timelines mentioned are approximate. The Sea is referred to by the following four names in the Bible. The Sea of Chinnereth: written approximately in the 1400 BCE time period: Numbers, chapter 34, verse 11 and Joshua, chapter 12, verse 3. 1460 years later in the 60′s AD, the Sea was referred to as the Lake of Gennesaret, in Luke, chapter 5, verse 1; and the Sea of Tiberas, in John, chapter 6, verse 1. In the gospel books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, found in the New Testament, that focus on the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Sea is referred to as the Sea of Galilee in Matthew 4, verse 18, and as the Galilee at other times in these books. The Sea of Galilee is approximately 8 miles in length and 5 miles in width. It’s depth averages 140 feet deep. The source of the Sea is from mountain streams located north of the Sea. The Sea drains into the Jordon river which flows southward and drains into the Dead Sea, located just southwest of Jericho. The Sea of Galilee is located approximately 80 miles north of Jerusalem. The Samarian mountains lie south of the Galilee between the Galilee and Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Jericho and other villages and cities. In biblical times travel from the Galilee area to southern Isarel took place either by walking through the Samarian mountains or along the western bank of the Jordon River. The Sea is a major water resource for Isarel and Jordon. Water for drinking and cooking in Isarel and Jordon, for animal care and for irrigation of farming land comes from the Sea of Galilee When reading or scanning through the gospel books, take note of the names of the villages that Jesus taught, healed or ministered in around the Galilee Sea. Maps of Isarel, and the Galilee Sea can be found online. MAY GOD BLESS YOUR BIBLE STUDY THIS WEEK! Bible Verses: Matthew, chapter 4, verses 23-25; Matthew, chapter 8, verses 23-27; chapter 16, 29-31; Luke, chapter 3, verse 23; Luke, chapter 4, verses14-16; Luke, chapter 4, verses 31-32; Luke, chapter 5, verse 1; Luke, chapter 5, verse 17. Upon
completing our series on relating the books of the Bible together, the timeline of the books will be written that will further add perspective in learning the Bible.