The Rock, The Road, and The Rabbi
Mary Frances Logue brought a book to me a few weeks ago before our vacation. She
only asked that I read it and consider it a gift. When we returned, I went into their
Sunday School class, head down, to let her know I had not read anything the entire
time I was on vacation. However, I started reading the book the next week and really
enjoyed the stories and information from Kathie Lee Gifford’s book The Rock, The
Road, and The Rabbi. Throughout the book, Kathie shares her experiences of going
to Israel and walking through the steps of Jesus and his disciples. Along with her is a
Rabbi named Jason Sobel who brings Biblical stories to life by sharing history or his
own perspectives that we may neglect in Biblical interpretation. I’ve found the book
to be a joy to read and thought I would share key thoughts with you over the next
couple of weeks that I hope encourage you in your faith.
Chapter 9
Seven Streams….chapter 9 follows Kathie’s journey to the Sea of Galilee where Jesus
called his first disciples. There she brings out an important part of the story I have
personally never really heard. The Gospel of Luke specifically calls the local the Lake of
Gennesaret because this gives us an indication of the town close to Jesus calling his
disciples. However, Kathie visits a church called the Church of Peter’s Primacy that is
located on, what scholars believe, is the actual location where Peter and the disciples
began following Jesus. Kathie writes specifically about the locale and the significance of
this place in one of the most epic stories in the New Testament:
It is the only place around the entire lake that seven separate streams of freshwater flow into it. According to Rabbi Jason, the number seven in Hebrew symbolizes
completeness and perfection. It is used 735 times in the Bible -54 times in the book of
Revelation alone. The number derives much of its meaning from being tied directly to
the creation of the world and to the seven annual Holy Days in the Hebrew calendar.
And Jesus performed seven miracles on God’s Sabbath.
It is believed that because of these seven strong streams, fish were attracted to
this area of the lake; therefore, the fishermen were too. While it looks like a calm beach
you might find anywhere because it receives seven streams of living water beneath the
surface, it was the optimal place for the teacher to meet student, for rabbi to meet
disciple, and for God Himself to meet mankind. Come….to the Seven Streams!
I’m constantly amazed at how God shows up right when and WHERE we need him too. I
would encourage you this week to pay special attention not only to when God shows up
in your life but WHERE! It may seem simple, but God chooses location just as much as
time. There is nothing haphazard about God’s planning and timing. It all makes sense, it
all has meaning, and it all reveals something about his nature. Praying for you, friends!
Love you!
Keep The Faith,
Pastor Tommy
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