Mount of the Beatitudes

View From Atop the Mount of Beatitudes

What a privilege it was to stand atop the Mount of Beatitudes and observe the lush landscape below. It became clear why it is believed that it was here that Jesus chose to teach and where he delivered what is now known as the Sermon on the Mount.

As far as practicality goes, the Mount of Beatitudes offers a unique combination of high and low areas. While the mountain has two peaks that can be seen from afar, it also features a plateau-like valley between those two peaks, which in Biblical times served as a kind of natural amphitheater.  This geographical set up easily contained the multitudes and enabled them to hear clearly when Jesus began to teach.

This was one of those places that turned my visual images upside down. I had always imagined Jesus standing with his disciples on the top of the mountain with the crowds gathering at his feet and scattered down the mountainside to listen to His message.

The scholars believe that more likely Jesus was standing nearer to the bottom of the basin and that the multitudes were situated higher up on the mountain tops above Him! Scholars reason this because of the natural amphitheater the basin between the two mountain peaks created!  It is estimated that Jesus was probably standing in this basin speaking up to the crowds who had gathered along the peaks.  The acoustics are amazing and from this vantage point He could very easily be heard by all who gathered around the mountain tops to listen to His life changing message.

A View of the Sea of Galilee from atop the Mount of Beatitudes

I was amazed at how close all these Biblical sites are.  You can speculate that as Jesus preached to the multitudes gathered here, that others in towns nestled along the Sea would have been able to view what was going on here on the Mount.  It's not difficult to imagine the Roman leaders gathered in Tiberias hearing of Jesus and wanting to stop him and his followers from drawing so much attention.  

Right across from the Mount of Beatitudes you can see a rocky crag on the edge of the mountain in the near distance (seen in the photo above).  This is the region of Gadara.  You may remember that Jesus healed two demon possessed men from Gadara, known as the Gadarene Demoniacs.  When the demons left the men they entered a herd of swine which then ran down a hill to their death in a lake below.

It was exciting to hear one of our friends, Buck read from a portion of Scripture we call the Sermon on the Mount.  What a privilege!  I snapped this one for his lovely wife, Lori, so she could savor the moment as well.

While we were on the Mount, our Jewish guide pointed out to us a tree with lovely orange blooms.  This is a pomegranate tree and the picture above shows a pomegranate bloom.  Hanna told us that pomegranates are very symbolic for the Jewish people and that every Jewish man is like a pomegranate.  Each pomegranate fruit has 613 seeds.  (She challenged us to count them one day.)  This is a true fact - and while there are exceptions, most pomegranates do indeed have 613 seeds.

The Jewish people counted up the laws and commands given by God and there are precisely 613 laws which a man or woman of the  Law must be careful to obey.  365 laws which are negative (things you shouldn't do) and 248 laws which are positive (things you have to do)!  613 Laws in the Torah - Keeping the Law - wow what a huge burden!!

During our stay in Israel, it was abundantly clear how hard the Jewish people work to try to keep the Law.  Admittedly, some try harder than others - but it is a full time job just to keep up with all the "Thous" and the "Thou shalt nots".  We heard of a family that had wanted to homeschool, but had since given up because they just couldn't keep all the Law and homeschool too - it was just too much for them!  Not only are there the 613 laws commanded by God, but the Jewish people came up with over a thousand other laws to help them keep the 613!

In order to avoid working on the Sabbath, the hotel management will switch the elevators to the Sabbath mode so those staying in the hotel and needing to return to their hotel room can still use the elevator without actually "working" on the Sabbath.  Since pushing the button on the elevator would constitute working, the Sabbath elevators automatically stop at each floor on the way up and on the way down!  It's not necessary to push any buttons, you just hop on and get off as you desire - but it takes forever to go up and down on the elevator because you have to stop on every floor!

Likewise, all the meals served in the restaurants on their Sabbath were different.  They were prepared in advance because no one could work on that day.  We actually had our Sabbath dinner meal after sun down so they could reheat something for us to eat.  They had prepared it the day before, and could reheat it after sundown.

They have somewhat of a guard at the door of the hotel restaurants. He looks like he is there to welcome you - and he is... but he also is there to protect the integrity of the "kosher-ness" of the restaurant. Their dietary restrictions require that dairy products be kept completely separate from meat products - one person could contaminate the entire restaurant and render it unkosher for those trying to keep the Law.

We knew one lady who had ordered a coffee at the bar in the lobby and was banned from coming in the dining room.  She had used cream (a dairy product) in her coffee and so she could not come in with that beverage to eat her dinner in the restaurant because they were serving meat in the dining room.  In fact, they have an entirely different set of china and utensils that they use for meat dishes and a separate set for dairy dishes.  We noticed white china with blue rims for breakfast and white china with green rims for dinner.

When eating pizza - you won't find a pizza that contains meat and cheese.  So all their pizzas with cheese have only vegetables. Imagine that?

They don't serve meat at breakfast - so no eggs and bacon or sausage.  They only have dairy products at breakfast.  At dinner time, they may serve potatoes with their chicken or beef - but you won't find any butter, sour cream, or cheese to go with your potato - and no cheese or cream sauces with your meats.  Very different that what we are used to.

There were also rules about modesty (what you could wear in public at their holy places), separation of men and women, who is allowed to read the Torah, where you could go, etc.  LOTS and lots of rules governing their behavior that affect their lives 24/7.

The Beginnings of a Pomegranate Fruit

After hearing about the symbolism tied to the pomegranate, we began to notice this motif displayed everywhere in Israel. There are pomegranates on their Passover Plates, on their Matzoh covers, on jewelry, on clothing, and on many Jewish items of art.

Now, every time I see a pomegranate it conjures up in my mind the desperation of the Jewish people to perform good works and to keep the Law.  What a heavy burden they bear!

In contrast, what freedom the Truth of Christ brings.  What a privilege it is to have had my eyes opened and my heart transformed by the cross of Christ.  For me the Law now is no longer a burden, but a sign post showing me my inability to do even one righteous thing and pointing me to my Savior and his completed work on my behalf, reminding me of His redemption offered through His atoning sacrifice in my place.  Hallelujah!  What a Savior!