THE HOLY LAND

 

Geographical Setting of the Gospel Story.

               This area has been called the Holy land, Palestine, the Lord`s land, Canaan and the Land of Israel.  It is a place that has the distinct blessing of God on it for a long time.

               It is a small land, 140 miles long by 25-30 miles wide.  It is a fertile land that can supply food for its people.  It is famous for its fruit and vegetables.  It is rich in trees and has moderate climate and rainfall.  It is a secluded land for it has desert on the south and east borders. On the west is the Mediterranean Sea and in the north are the mountains of Lebanon.  God over the centuries has  protected this land by its geographical location from their enemies and the idols they brought.  This is a centrally located land for Palestine was right in the middle of the major empires of Babylon, Assyria and Egypt.  It is here that Jesus came to teach, live and die.

               It has been divided into four major regions.  The maritime plain runs from Gaza in the south to Tyre in the north.  The central plain includes the Jordan River and the provinces of Judea, Samaria and Galilee.  East of the Jordan is a region which goes from Caesarea Philippi in the North to the Dead Sea in the south.  The eastern range is from Mount Hermon in the north to Edom and Moab in the South.

 

Places mentioned in the Bible:

 

Enon:  John baptized here.

Bethabara:  Place of Jesus` baptism.

Bethany:  1 mile away from Jerusalem, Lazarus lived here.

Bethesda:  Pool with five porches in Jerusalem.

Bethlehem:  Birthplace of Jesus and is some 6 miles from Jerusalem.

Bethpage:  It is near the Mount of Olives.

Bethsaida:  2 Miles from the Sea of Galilee, home of Peter, Andrew and Philip.

Caesarea Philippi:  At the foot of Mount Hermon.

Cana:  4 Miles north of Nazareth.  Jesus’ first miracle was here and this is the home of Nathaniel.

Capernaum:  NW corner of the Sea of Galilee.  Jesus lived here during His ministry,

Chorazin:  North of Capernaum near Sea of Galilee.

Dalmanutha:  On the north shore of the Sea of Galilee.

Decapolis:  A district of ten towns in the Northeast part of Galilee.

Egypt:  Joseph took Mary and Jesus there.

Ephraim:  7 ½ miles from Jerusalem to which Jesus and his disciples would retire too.

Genneseret:  A fertile plain on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee.

Gergesea:  On the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee.

Gethsame:  The place where Jesus prayed in the foot of the Mt. of Olives.

Golgotha:  Place where Jesus was crucified, outside the city walls of Jerusalem.

Gomorrah:  One of the cities destroyed by God around the Dead Sea area.

Jericho:  A city near the Dead Sea, 900 feet below sea level.  Jesus spent a lot of time here.

Jerusalem:  capital city of Judea, city where the temple was and Jesus died here.

Jordan River:   Runs through central Palestine.  It begins at Mount Hermon and ends at the Dead Sea. 

Kidron:  A valley that runs between the Mount of Olives and Jerusalem.

Magdala:  On the west short of the Sea of Galilee.

Nain:  About 5 miles NE of Nazareth.

Naphtali:  Beyond the Jordan River to the east.

Nazareth:  A city on the Plain of Esdraelon about 20 miles north of Capernaum.   Home of Jesus and His family.

Nineveh:  Ancient capital of Assyria.

Olivet:  Ridge on the east side of Jerusalem.

Salim:  John baptized near here.

Serepta:  Tear near Sidon.

Sidon:  A city on the Mediterranean Sea.

Siloam:  A pool in Jerusalem.

Sychar:  A town on the east side of Mount Ebal in Samaria.

Tiberias:  A town on the west short of the Sea of Galilee.

Tyre:  A city on the coast of the Mediterranean.

 

Approximate Distances

 

Jerusalem to Bethany, 1 mile, Bethlehem, 6 , Caesarea. 57 , Caesarea Philippi, 105 , Capernaum, 85 , Emmaus, 7, Hebron 20, Mt. Hermon, 125, Jericho, 15, Joppa, 33, Jordan 21, Mediterranean, 37, Nazareth, 65 and Samaria, 36.

Capernaum to Bethsaida, 6 miles, Caesarea Philippi, 27, Cana, 16, Nain, 22, Nazareth 20 and Tyre, 35.

Bethsaida to Gergesea is 7 miles.  Jericho to Bethabara is 10 miles and Nazareth to Shechem is 35 miles.

 

Sea of Galilee:  Width, 6-8 miles, Length, 14 miles, Depth, 150 feet, 112 square miles and is 680 feet below sea level.

Dead Sea:  Width. 10 miles, length, 48 miles, depth is 1300 feet at NW corner and 1300 feet below sea level.

Jordan River:  It is about 100 Miles long and runs from Mt Hermon to the Dead Sea.

 

Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea is about 65 miles.  Mediterranean Sea to Jordan River is 50 miles.

 

Mountains:  Carmel, 1810’, Ebal in Samaria, 3077’, Gerazim, 2849’, Gilboa in Galilee, 1648’, Gilead in Transjordan, 3077’, Hermon in Syria, 9700’, Hor in Edom 4360’, Lebanon in Syria, 10052’, Nebo in Transjordan, 2643’, Olivet in Judea, 2680 and Tabor in Galilee, 1843.

 

Jerusalem is 2593 feet above Sea Level