Visiting Mount Arbel includes a look at the ruins of an ancient Jewish Synagogue. There are four Jewish villages on the mountain. But the most spectacular thing about the mountain is not what you see there, but what you see from there. The mountain has a beautiful view of Tiberius and of the Sea of Tiberius (also called the Sea of Galilee), where my Lord carried out the ministry that would change the world and would rescue you and me from Hell. Mount Arbel is one spot that offers a panoramic view of the place of my Lord’s work on earth.
As my friend, Carla Moore, wrote in her article for Christian Woman magazine entitled He is Still Here:
Standing atop Mount Arbel and viewing the Sea and the surrounding countryside below, where Jesus once walked, lived, loved, laughed, rescued, healed, touched and blessed countless lives, we are awed by His mighty power and humbled by His perfect perspective. “Take heart. It is I. DO not be afraid.” We can still take heart, knowing He is here.
Just to think about the Lord having formed this mountain peak and then humbling himself to to view it from the very small perspective of one of thousands of men who would look to its pinnacle, stirs my soul.
In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him (Psalm 95:4).
If you were along in 2019, you know this was the trip of a lifetime! Any time you are looking at the actual synagogue ruins, the temple mound, the gate through which Abraham almost certainly walked, the garden where Jesus prayed, etc…you will be moved and strengthened. But to do it with Christians while stopping all along the way to sing His praises and bow with faithful believers is, in my estimation, one of the closest things you’ll do in this lifetime to heaven itself.
My husband is the kind of husband who is very careful about expenditures for travel (in a good way!). He knows, that unlike many purchases we make, the “thing” we are buying cannot be later used for selling, trading, or bartering. Travel is a commodity that cannot be termed a “financial investment”, because you go on the trip and that expenditure has been permanently made. There is no cash return on the money you spent on travel. But my husband went to Israel with me in 2019 (or I went with him), and his words now are words like these and more:
I cannot say enough about John and Carla Moore and Bible Land Passages. They are amazing. John has studied Jewish history while living among its ruins. He digs deep in Israel, in a literal way, alongside the top archaeologists of that area in our day. To say going to Israel with him is an amazing opportunity, is understating the obvious. We’re humbled by the very opportunity God has given us. Commercialization of the sites and artifacts is not what this trip is about. History is not revised in this presentation of the Bible Lands. It is examined through the lens of the sacred writings and what you will see will make you love the Bible and cling to its truths for your eternal security. The immunization requirement for Covid having been lifted, this trip will help immunize your soul against spiritual disease. It’s that good!
Did Jesus visit the synagogue at Magdala? Did he walk on the flooring pictured above? It seems likely to me, since Magdala was located on the path that Christ likely took between his hometown of Nazareth and the area of Capernaum, in which he did most of his teaching and performed many miracles.
As we begin to prepare for our November ’22 Digging Deep Israel tour, I want to continue, occasionally, to revisit stops on our last tour. You can see the details for registering for the trip here: 
Peering into the Cave of Pan at Caesarea-Philippi (more on Caesarea next time) was stirring. It was known as the pagan gate of Hades—the doorway to the underworld. When people move from devotion to Jehovah to idol worship of any kind, they pass through a foreboding gate to an encompassing and destructive chasm from which it is very difficult to return.
We’ve located 24 of these sweet little Digging Deep shovels! They are sterling silver and they are precious little keepsakes. Designed especially for Digging Deep by our good friends at Dempsey’s Jewelers in Johnson City, Tennessee, they bear the words “Digging Deep.” Mine’s on a bracelet, but lots of sisters have them on little silver chains around their necks. They come with the sturdy little ring for easy attaching and in the pretty little gift box for easy gift-giving ( in case you know a digger who could use some sweet encouragement). We rarely find extra Digging Deep paraphernalia, but I wanted to throw this little find out there and sweep clean the DD shelves once again. You can order the little charms here: