Sea of Galilee--Leaving Everything to Follow Him
Because of the coronavirus, Song For Israel postponed our tour to Israel that would have been from November 3-17, 2020. Today we would have been in the Galilee, so here is an article about that place.
So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. Luke 5:1-2
There are a number of different ways to refer to the “Galilee”—”Gennesaret,” “Genosar,” and “Chinnereth.” The first mention in Scripture is “Chinnereth” in Joshua 19:35. Over time, the city changed names and translations and today we call it the Galilee, referring not only to the Sea (which is actually a lake) but the entire region. You may also hear references to the “upper Galilee” or the “lower Galilee.”
To me, the most serene place in Israel is here—in the Galilee. It is away from the hustle and bustle of Jerusalem and there are wide spaces of undeveloped, beautiful land as well as a calm sea. In fact, after the last two tours, I stayed in a little guest house in the “upper Galilee” in a town called Almagor (next to Chorizin) that overlooked the Galilee. While resting on a hammock, a local calico cat decided a warm nap was a good idea! (see the photo to the right).
Most people who visit the Sea of Galilee and its surroundings will acknowledge that there is something entrancing about the place! One can almost sense an underlying spiritual aspect everywhere. During every tour we take the boat for a ride and most will say it is a highlight of the tour. Not only do we read about Jesus walking on water here but we take a time of reflection about the work and miracles that Yeshua performed in this area.
We remember reading many Scriptures that tell us about the ministry Yeshua did here. In Capernaum (located at the Sea of Galilee), we picture that He was so pressed on every side by the crowds that gathered to hear Him teach, that He had to speak from a boat on the water. He did that more than once. (Mark 3:9, 4:1) One of the two boats Yeshua saw lying at the edge of the water belonged to Simon Peter, whose brother Andrew was working with him on that boat. The other belonged to Zebedee, father of John and James, Peter’s partners. (Matthew 4:21-22) These fishermen worked all night and caught nothing. They were disappointed that morning. When Yeshua told Peter to take the boat again into deep water and lower the freshly-washed nets, it seemed almost a nuisance. Fishing was usually done at night and daytime fishing would not be normal. Little did Peter know that this would be a defining moment for him: the turning point of his entire life.
Peter probably knew Yeshua already. In John 1:40-42 we see that Peter was introduced to Him for the first time. However, although Peter was supportive of Yeshua, he had not yet Left everything to follow Him. (Luke 5:11)
The power of God, through the miraculous catch of fish, had to shake Peter and the other hard-working, everyday people, so caught up with the material world. They now had an encounter with the reality of the spiritual world and their order of priorities changed at once.
In our day and time, “leaving all to follow Yeshua” is a romantic idea for some people. Others choose “full-time ministry” for reasons that may be good but do not represent a true calling. However, the four people we are now discussing were men who had a trade, who were involved in the running of a business which provided for their families. They were in difficult life situations, living under oppressive foreign occupation. In Peter’s case, he had a wife, children, and elderly family members to care for. For someone in his position, and maybe of his disposition, to leave everything and embark upon such a radical way of life took more than a charismatic teacher. In Peter’s life, the calling was loud and clear and it surely hit home.
Peter was shaken out of the stupor that normally characterizes life by the supernatural fishing experience on Lake Gennesaret. We in turn would offer our prayer to the Lord, that He would do whatever is necessary to bring us to the place where He wants us to be, doing the thing/s He wants us to do.
May His will be done in our lives.
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