A Geographer’s Daughter in Israel

I’m a geographer’s daughter.

As such, I grew up with maps, and can find north, south, east, and west.

Like my siblings, I inherited the family’s “sense of direction,” and rarely get lost.

I carry a map in my head, no matter where I go, and usually can find my way back to where I started.

(The one exception is in Boston. I could see the Old North Church tower. I just couldn’t direct my husband there. When we finally gave up, parked, and walked, we learned you can’t drive to the Old North Church. So, yes, Boston defeated me, but only on a technicality!)

As a Bible study leader, I’ve spent countless hours staring at maps of Israel. I tried to understand where Jesus traveled and how he got between places.

I knew the nation had many hills, a few tall mountains, and the Jordan River.

Jerusalem is on a hill, but I couldn’t quite grasp what it looked like.

That’s when I realized it was time for this geographer’s daughter to visit Israel.

So we went.

What did the geographer’s daughter learn about Israel?

I live in a nation that spans a continent. I’ve driven across it nine times.

Israel is much smaller than even I imagined.

When teaching about the Biblical Israel, I often try to give my students a sense of the size of the country.

“To compare Israel to where we live, imagine it stretches from the Golden Gate Bridge north to Eureka.

It’s about as wide as the distance between Bodega Bay (on the Northern California coast), to Davis (near Sacramento). That’s the whole country.

The part of the country where Jesus mostly ministered really isn’t much farther than an 1-2 hour drive from Jerusalem.

We were surprised.

The Sea of Galilee, in particular, is only about 13 miles long and 8 miles across at the widest spot.

People on the shore could watch Jesus sail away and see where he landed. It would take a while to run from spot to spot–but you didn’t lose sight of him. (See Mark 5).

What about the Wilderness?

I’d always wondered about the Wilderness described in both the Old and New Testaments.

How far away from things was it?

Not that far.

Which was perplexing.

Why couldn’t King Saul find David?

(It helped to realize King Saul didn’t live in Jerusalem–David conquered the Jebusite stronghold and built the city. God, of course, also played a hand in shielding David and his men’s seven years on the run.)

Remember? Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River and then went into the Wilderness for 40 days to talk with God. (Matthew 4)

Our guide believed that the site of his temptation by Satan is just west of Jericho (which is only 13 miles, downhill, from Jerusalem).

This geographer’s daughter loved standing on the hillside at Qumran looking east over the Dead Sea.

From there, our guide pointed out other places germane to Jesus’ trips to Jerusalem. (John the Baptist is believed by some to be an Essene who lived at Qumran–where a boy found the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1948).

Does a geographer’s daughter need maps?

Of course I do. I carried three–and I consulted the map on my phone. I always need a sense of where I am in the world.

Especially if it feels intimidating.

At each park or nature reserve we visited, we picked up folders and I consulted those maps, too.

The one from the Banias Nature Reserve sobered me. I’d never seen such a notation on a map before.

Dad would have loved it.

We traveled from as far north as the top of Mount Hermon (9200 feet; circled in red to the right), to the Dead Sea (1400 feet below sea level).

I’ve been higher than Mount Hermon many times, but I’ve never been as low as the Dead Sea. (For the record, I wouldn’t have realized how deep we were save for the signs telling us).

How about in Jerusalem?

The winding corridors and narrow alleys of Jerusalem can be a puzzle in the Old City.

Fortunately, they post maps on the walls, signs indicate which way to go, and the Old City is only about 1 kilometer square.

So, even if you get lost, you’ll eventually turn up where you started!

(And the phone map worked inside the thick walls, so that helped).

Surveying the land

We loved our trip to Israel and learned so very much.

I enjoyed looking out the window watching the fabulous scenery.

Climbing to the top of Mount Hermon, it felt like the world did spread out before us. (Some believe Jesus’ Transfiguration took place on Mount Hermon; Others Mount Tabor).

Standing at Meggido looking across the Jezreel Valley, we thought of the armies who have marched from the northwest to the southeast many times in history.

It was odd to think Jesus’ arrival to Mary’s womb took place at Nazareth (the site of the annunciation)–a village overlooking the valley where he’ll return some day (for Armageddon?)

The geographer’s daughter came home with a greater appreciation for Biblical history and awe that God chose that corner of the world in which to write the Bible.

I’m so glad we got to go.

I’m a better Bible teacher now that I’ve seen where so much took place.

Dad was right. Seeing the places make history come alive.

Thanks be to God.

Tweetables

A geographers daughter tours Israel–in amazement. Click to Tweet

Maps and the Bible tell the story–but seeing Israel is believing. Click to Tweet