Living on the Sea of Galilee in Capernaum

Kfar Nahum (the town of Nahum), or Capernaum as it says in your English Bibles, was Yeshua’s headquarters. The house of Peter

The ruins of Peter’s house.

has been preserved and it is a stone’s throw from the ruins of a 1st century synagogue that has a later synagogue built on top of it. It is certain that Yeshua taught there:

Yeshua returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about him went out through all the surrounding country. And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all. (Luke 4:14)

Just imagine Yeshua, after being immersed by cousin John and then fasting for forty days—he returns a new man. He has three years to raise up a leadership that will take his message to the ends of the earth. He chose Capernaum as his base. Anointed by the Spirit, He brings one of his first sermons and the people are blown away by His authority.

They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure spirit cried out, “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”“Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!” The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him.” News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee. (Mark 1:21-28)

It was here in Capernaum that he called his first disciples to follow him. Luke tells us the story that blew the disciples away. Our Israel tour group walked upon the very same shores of the Galilee where this took place. (And you can too in April www.LivingStonesIsrael.com)

Our most recent tour on the shores of Caperaum, where Yeshua called his disciples to be fishers of men.

One day as Yeshua was standing by the Sea of Galilee, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Yeshua’s knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.Then Yeshua said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

Imagine this dramatic scene. Yeshua tells the experienced fisherman to cast his net again. Simon does so, even though he knows that it makes no sense, and a miraculous catch is brought in. The nets are breaking. Simon, on the shores of his hometown Capernaum, falls of his knees, as he, a sinner, realizes he is in the presence of Holiness. The soon-to-be disciples are frightened. But Yeshua tells them not to be afraid and calls them to a higher level of fishing—they will be fishers of men.

I would love to take you to Capernaum (and the Dead Sea, Jerusalem and more) in our next tour in April. You can save $100 if you sign up by Oct. 31. Just go to www.LivingStonesIsrael.com.