The Holy Land in History and Scripture: Galilee and Samaria Session #8: Galilean Mountains of the Lord: Tabor, Hermon, and Carmel Patrick D
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The Holy Land in History and Scripture: Galilee and Samaria Session #8: Galilean Mountains of the Lord: Tabor, Hermon, and Carmel Patrick D. Degn The Mountains and Hills • Parallelism over 40x • Paradoxical and contradictory: • Refuge and security / Threat, slaughter, judgement • Pagan worship / Worship of the Lord • Serve as boundaries: Josh. 15:8-16. • Sparsely populated and independent of civilization • Unchanging: Symbols for stability and eternity • Natural features: Symbols of refuge, safety, and security. • Flee to the mountains for safety: Hel. 11:31; Gen. 14:10; 19:17, 30;1 Sam. 14:22; 26:1; JS—M 1:13 • Dangerous places requiring preparation • Places of perspective (Deut. 34:1-4; Rev. 21:10) • Places of proclamation (Isa. 40:9; 52:7; Matt. 5:1) • Places of the covenant (Ex. 19-20; Deut. 9-10; 27-28). • Place of the Lord’s word (1 Ne. 16:30; 17:7; Eth. 3-4; Isa. 2:3; Mic. 4:2; 1 Kings 19:13-14) • Eden: Ezekiel 28:13-15 • Places to commune with God: (1 Nephi; Ether 1-3; Gen 22:1-14; Ex 3:1-2;1 Kings 19:8-18; Ex. 19). • Jesus resorted to mountains: • To be alone (John 6:15). • To pray (Mt 14:23; Lk 6:12) . • To teach his listeners (Matt. 5:1; Mark 3:13). • Refuted Satan's temptation (Matt. 4:8; Luke 4:5). Transfigured on a mountain (Matt. 17:1-8; Mark 9:2-8; Luke 9:28-36). • Ascended into heaven from the Mount of Olives (Acts 1:10-12). • Mount Eden, Moriah, Sinai, Zion Mount Carmel: Geography 1. The name Carmel means “orchard with fruit trees and vines” or “plantation, garden-land” or simply, “The Garden of God” 2. Mt. Carmel is composed of hard limestone and thus the coast did not erode it. 3. The chain runs northwest to southeast for nearly 15 mi and ranges from 3 to 8 mi in width with pronounced cliffs on either side. 4. The average elevation of Mt. Carmel is 1,500 ft above sea level with its highest point reaching 1,810 ft. The elevation at Muhraqa is 1,580 ft (482 m). 5. The area receives 32 in (80 cm) of rain due to its elevation and proximity to coast, and receives dew about 250 nights per year. 6. Mt. Carmel National Park is the largest park in Israel. Mount Carmel: History 1. Venis, a general of Pharaoh Cheops I (23rd century B.C.), may have referred to Mt. Carmel as “the Gazelle’s Nose.” 2. Thutmose III referred to Mt. Carmel as “the Holy Head.” Many Egyptian pharaohs took note of this site, suggesting that it might have been a holy place or sanctuary. 3. The mountain was a sacred site from ancient times for the Canaanite god Baal as well as for other gods. 4. Mt. Carmel was assigned to Asher (Josh 19:26), and it is the geographical dividing line between the Plain of Asher and the Plain of Sharon. It was the convergence point of four tribal allotments (Asher, Zebulun, Issachar and Manasseh). 5. Shalmaneser III calls Mt. Carmel Ba’li-ra’si in his annals. It is here that the country of Tyre and the country of Israel, under Jehu, paid Shalmaneser tribute. 6. It was on Mt. Carmel that Elisha received the woman whose dead son he would raise to life (2 Ki 4:25). 7. This mountain continued as a religious site for a long time and even Vespasian and Trajan sacrificed to the god Carmel. Tacitus wrote that the priests on Carmel guaranteed Vespasian of his coming victories which would result in his becoming ruler of the world. The Beauty of Mount Carmel The Bible speaks much of the beauty of Mt. Carmel. It is often pictured as the symbol of beauty and prosperity, and is a frequent theme in the Prophets. Jeremiah 46:18 As I live, saith the King, whose name is the Lord of hosts, Surely as Tabor is among the mountains, and as Carmel by the sea, so shall he come. Amos 1:2 And he said, The Lord will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel shall wither. Isaiah 35:1-2 The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God. Jeremiah 50:19 And I will bring Israel again to his habitation, and he shall feed on Carmel and Bashan, and his soul shall be satisfied upon mount Ephraim and Gilead. See the story of Elijah the Prophet battling the priests of Baal and Ashteroth on Carmel in 1 Kings 17. The Elijah Monastery on Mount Carmel 1. Muhraqa is the Arabic word for “the burning/scorching,” and it is a reference to Elijah’s confrontation with the false prophets. It is here that fire came down and burned the sacrifice, the altar, and the water, and scorched the earth. 2. Several pilgrims make mention of this place at a time when a series of stones were still visible to them: a. Rabbi Benjamin of Tudela (1165). b. Rabbi Jacob of Paris (1228). c. It was apparently mentioned by pilgrims until the 19th century. 3. For many centuries there have been monasteries on the summit of this mountain, and the Carmelite movement originated from the hermits who dwelt here in the 12th century under St. Berthold. The monastery of St. Elias now continues the traditions. Traditional Site of Sacrifice: Arguments in favor of this being the location of Elijah’s contest with the prophets of Baal: 1. On any proposed site there must be room for many people, since large crowds participated in the drama. 2. Water must be nearby. 3. The sea should not be visible from the site of the altar. 4. The sea should be visible from some site above the altar. 5. The altar must be on a mountainside, not on a summit. Mount Tabor: (“Mound”) Mt. Tabor sits at the eastern end of the Jezreel Valley, 11 miles (17 km) west of the Sea of Galilee. Its elevation at the summit is 1,843 feet (575 m) high. Boundary between Issachar and Zebulun (Josh. 19:22-23). Jeremiah 46:18 As I live, saith the King, whose name is the Lord of hosts, Surely as Tabor is among the mountains, and as Carmel by the sea, so shall he come. Psalm 89:12 The north and the south thou hast created them: Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name. Judges 4:4-7 Church fathers believed that the Transfiguration took place on Mt. Tabor, including Cyril of Jerusalem (in 348), Epiphanius, and Jerome. Eusebius was uncertain if it took place on Mt. Tabor or on Mt. Hermon. The date of the earliest churches on Mt. Tabor is unknown. The Anonymous Pilgrim of Piacenza saw three basilicas in 570. Willibaldus, in 723, mentions only one church dedicated to Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. There may have been three chapels joined together into one building, as in the present building. See the account in Matthew 17 of the transfiguration of Jesus and the restoration of priesthood keys. Mount Tabor: (“Mound”) Reporter: The schedule this day was tight; but President Kimball had a place he wanted to visit-- nearly two hours out of the way; yet he insisted on going. Mount Tabor rises 1,800 feet above sea level, not far from the city of Nazareth...It is one of two sites designated by Christian scholars, as the Mount of Transfiguration, a high mountain where three of Christ's disciples behold a vision as Jesus prayed. Later, President Kimball told a gathering that he had "special feelings about Mount Tabor." He called it "the highest spot on earth." President Kimball: I felt very sure that this was the spot where Jesus had taken his three disciples, Peter, James and John, to this "high mountain apart," and there had given certain blessings. I felt a very warm spirit as we gathered together and felt what came to us from this experience. As I know there has been some dissertation and difference of feeling about it since there are some other possible places, but I have always felt this. (Journey to the Middle East, a KSL Television Special Report, 24 October 1979) Van Orden, Dell and J Melan Heslop, with Lance E. Larsen, "A Prophet for All the World: Glimpses into the Life of President Spencer W. Kimball" BYU Studies 25:4 (Fall, 1985), 56. Moses, Elias (Elijah in Hebrew), and John the Baptist (Matthew 17) • John mentioned in the JST of Mark 9:4 (JST Mark 9:3) • Moses and Elijah translated at the conclusion of their ministries • Moses and Elijah translated at the same location east of the river Jordan and opposite of Jericho (Deut. 34:5; Alma 45:19; 2 Kings 2:11-12) • John and Jesus both began their mortal ministries where Moses and Elijah were translated • Moses and Elijah “appeared in glory, and spake of his death, and also his resurrection, which he should accomplish at Jerusalem” (JST Luke 9:31) • Moses and Elijah (the Law and the Prophets) • John the forerunner (Elias) to prepare the way before the Lord • See Peter’s testimony in 2 Peter 1:16-19.