Province Of Galilee 


CANA OF GALILEE.



THE province of Galilee comprises all that part of Palestine lying north of Samaria, including the great plain of Esdraelon. It is hemmed in on the south by the mountains of Samaria; on the east it extends as far as the Jordan; on the north it is bounded by the southern end of the mountains of Lebanon; and on the west it is skirted by the Phoenician plain and the waters of the Great Sea.





The upper portion of this region is quite mountainous, but the lower part forms an undulating plain. Nature has here spread out her beauties in rich profusion. The earth is covered with bright green grass, scattered over with flaming wildflowers, while the low hills are dotted with groves of evergreen oak. Birds, familiar in our own land, people the trees and inhabit the ledges and rocky caverns.





To the Bible student, Galilee has many places of deep interest. Prominent among these is Cana, located about halfway between the Sea of Galilee and the northern extremity of the Carmel range.

There are, at the present time, two places where ancient Cana may have been situated. 

One, about nine miles north of Nazareth, Kana el-Jelil, is, Dr. Robinson thinks, in all probability the one mentioned in the Scriptures. He says that this place is "on the southern declivity of a tell [hill], and overlooking the plain. The situation is fine. It was once a considerable village of well-built houses, now all deserted. 

Many of the dwellings are in ruins. There are also several arches belonging to modern houses, but we could discover no traces of antiquity."

The other place, Kefr Kenna, is but about three and a half miles north of Nazareth. This is a modern village, consisting of from thirty to forty houses and a little synagogue. As yet, no one seems prepared to state just where the site of Cana was; excellent authorities prefer one place, and others, equally good, find reasons for choosing the other.

This little village was the birthplace of the apostle Nathanael. It will also be remembered as the place where our Lord first made manifest to the sons of men his divine power, when "the conscious water saw its Lord and blushed." 

Dr. Fish in speaking of this miracle says: "The church edifice (at Kefr Kenna) is said to stand over the site of the miracle; and on the floor (simply smooth and level ground) I was shown the reputed big earthen jars that held the wine."

At another time, the tender mercy of Jesus was shown, when, by the might of his word, he made well and strong the son of the heart-sick ruler whose faith was so great that he came over fourteen long miles to hear the Saviour speak the words of healing.

Many, many are the places around Cana, which, had they tongues, would volumes tell of the words of compassion, the deeds of mercy, and the mighty miracles, that Christ has done.

O Galilee! Thrice hallowed spot, where He who came man's life to save did first his wondrous works perform! 


Flowers in Israel


WINNIE LOUGHBOROUGH




Flowers in Israel