Galil: Yeshua of Galilee and the Rolling Revolution

GALIL: the place of Galilee (Strong’s 1551);  from Galal, a verb meaning to roll or roll away (Strong’s 1556).

Root: גָּלַל

Sounds like: ga’leel

When most people think of Galilee they think of Yeshua’s (Jesus’) ministry. This was the place where He grew up (Nazareth was in the region of Galilee) and the hub location of His ministry. A large portion of the Gospel story takes place in the region of Galilee (around the Sea of Galilee). 

In the Hebrew Bible, Galilee has a small, but interesting footprint. It housed a refuge city which was under the leadership of the Gershonites, a priestly tribe of Levi. Galilee was also mentioned as an area that Solomon handed over to Hiram, king of Tyre, who found it “worthless”. Galilee was later captured by the Assyrians and its people were distributed across Assyrian held territories. Finally, Galilee played a pivotal part in one of Isaiah’s prophecies about the coming Messiah. Let’s take a closer look at these events.

A Safe Haven in Galilee

The first mention of Galilee can be found at the top of a list of refuge cities:

Joshua 20:1-9 (see also Joshua 21:32a)

Then YHWH spoke to Joshua, saying, “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘Designate the cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses, so that one who commits manslaughter by killing a person unintentionally, without premeditation, may flee there, and they shall become your refuge from the avenger of blood. Then he shall flee to one of these cities, and shall stand at the entrance of the gate of the city, and state his case in the presence of the elders of that city; and they shall receive him into the city to them and give him a place, so that he may remain among them. Now if the avenger of blood pursues him, then they are not to hand the one who committed manslaughter over to him, since he struck his neighbour without premeditation and did not hate him previously. And he shall remain in that city until he stands before the congregation for judgment, until the death of the one who is high priest in those days. Then he shall return to his own city and to his own house, to the city from which he fled.’”

So they set apart Kedesh in Galilee [ba-Galil] in the hill country of Naphtali, and Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the hill country of Judah. And beyond the Jordan east of Jericho, they designated Bezer in the wilderness on the plain from the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead from the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan from the tribe of Manasseh. These were the designated cities for all the sons of Israel and for the stranger who resides among them, so that whoever kills a person unintentionally may flee there, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood until he stands before the congregation.

Galilee housed a city that would protect people from their unintentional sin. It was a place of protection from the “avenger of blood” until they could be judged fairly before the congregation. Of course YHWH housed the final place of refuge from the one who wants to kill us, but YHWH also made it clear that we are to be His image bearers. These refuge cities were a reminder of God’s loving devotion to His struggling people, so as His image bearers we should also house and care for those who are, literally and metaphorically ,running for their lives. Regardless of their sins, we are to take in, and protect, those whose lives are in danger. 

Kedesh, and the Gershonites in Galilee

Although the Levites (Hebrew priests) could not inherit land, they were given small towns scattered across the lands of Israel and Judah in order for all the people to have access to Levitical priests. One of those towns was in Galilee:

1 Chronicles 6:1, 76

The sons of Levi were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari…

…and from the tribe of Naphtali [Gershon was given] Kedesh in Galilee [ba-Galil] with its pasture lands, Hammon with its pasture lands, and Kiriathaim with its pasture lands.

In order to have influence around Israel, Gershom was given the Galilean refuge city of Kedesh. Gershon was Levi’s son (Jacob’s grandson) and therefore given a priestly role. His descendants, the Gershonites, were responsible for the Tabernacle tent and the curtains and ropes that separated various areas of the Tabernacle (see Numbers 3:25-26). The Gershonites, who stayed with the Tabernacle, were to camp on the West side, behind the Tabernacle (Numbers 3:23).

Solomon hands over 20 cities in Galilee

King Solomon felt obliged to Hiram, the king of Tyre, for the provisions he sent to help Solomon build the Temple and his palace. As a result, Solomon gave Hiram significant land holdings in Galilee:

1 Kings 9:10-13

Now it came about at the end of twenty years in which Solomon had built the two houses, the house of YHWH and the king’s house (Hiram king of Tyre had supplied Solomon with cedar and juniper timber and gold, satisfying all his desire), that King Solomon then gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee [ha-Galil]. So Hiram left Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given him, and they did not please him. And he said, “What are these cities which you have given me, my brother?” So they have been called the land of Cabul to this day. 

King Hiram was not impressed with these twenty Galilean cities, as a result the land of Galilee was called the land of Cabul. There are various translations of the land of Cabul. Many interpret this as meaning, “the land of nothing” or “worthless land”. It might also mean the “land of shackles” indicating that Hiram felt entrapped with worthless land. It brings to mind the question that people asked in the time of Yeshua: does anything good come from Nazareth in Galilee?

Galilee Captured and the People Exiled

2 Kings 15:29

In the days of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath-pileser the king of Assyria came and took Ijon, Abel-beth-maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee [w-et ha-Galilah], all the land of Naphtali; and he led their populations into exile to Assyria.

We are given the information that Galilee fell under the horrific attack of the Assyrians. This meant that a large portion of its people were gathered, exiled, and distributed around various parts of the Assyrian kingdom. It was a conquer and divide scheme which was meant to shatter the community culturally, economically, and religiously. 

Assyria was known to break up cultures and distribute them across their known, conquered, lands. Because of this, the Galilee area became a mishmash of Gentile cultures under the control of Assyria. This had long-term and far-reaching effects, long after Assyria left the world stage.

During Yeshua’s day, Galilee was known to be an area of diversity between Gentiles and Jews, making it an effective place for Yeshua’s main area of ministry. First century Galilee was made up of a unique collection of people groups, who were undoubtedly all hungry for unity and peace but without much hope that it could every be accomplished. It was the perfect place for Yeshua to change the narrative and reignite hope! 

Galilee in Prophecy

The final mention of Galilee in the Tanakh is found in the scroll of Isaiah:

Isaiah 9:1-7

But there will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish. In earlier times He treated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali with contempt, but later on He will make it glorious, by the way of the sea, on the other side of the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles [Galil ha-Goyim].

The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them. 

You will multiply the nation, You will increase their joy; they will rejoice in Your presence as with the joy of harvest, as people rejoice when they divide the spoils.

For You will break the yoke of their burden and the staff on their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, as at the battle of Midian. For every boot of the marching warrior in the roar of battle, and cloak rolled in blood, will be for burning, fuel for the fire.

For a Child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore. The zeal of YHWH of armies will accomplish this.

This was a Messianic prophecy. YHWH would make Galilee (“of the Gentiles”) glorious. A great light would shine on this area. A child would be given who would change the state of the land. Galilee, a place of refuge for sinners, an undesirable location, a torn-apart culture hungry for harmony, would receive the Prince of Peace, the healer of the nations. Galilee was the perfect place for this radical, peaceful and rolling revolution!

Galal

Galilee may have been given its name because it was an area of rocky rolling hills. Galilee comes from the word Galal, which means “to roll away”, and this word (galal) was frequently connected to rolling stones. Check out the story of when Jacob met Rachel for the first time:

Genesis 29:1-11

Then Jacob set out on his journey, and went to the land of the people of the east. He looked, and saw a well in the field, and behold, three flocks of sheep were lying there beside it, because they watered the flocks from that well. Now the stone on the mouth of the well was large. When all the flocks were gathered there, they would roll the stone [w-ga’lalu ha-even] from the mouth of the well and water the sheep. Then they would put the stone back in its place on the mouth of the well.

Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where are you from?” 

And they said, “We are from Haran.” 

So he said to them, “Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?” 

And they said, “We know him.” 

And he said to them, “Is it well with him?” 

And they said, “It is well, and here is his daughter Rachel coming with the sheep.” 

Then he said, “Look, it is still high day; it is not time for the livestock to be gathered. Water the sheep, and go, pasture them.” 

But they said, “We cannot, until all the flocks are gathered, and they roll the stone [w-ga’lalu ha-even] from the mouth of the well; then we water the sheep.”

While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. When Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of his mother’s brother Laban, and the sheep of his mother’s brother Laban, Jacob went up and rolled the stone [wai-ya’gel] from the mouth of the well, and watered the flock of his mother’s brother Laban. Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and raised his voice and wept. 

Jacob wanted to roll the stone and water the sheep, but the shepherds dissuaded him by saying that all the flocks were to be gathered before the stone was to be rolled away. Yeshua’s ministry was about gathering all the flocks, starting in Galilee (a place of rocky stones), before He went on to fulfill His mission which would lead Him to the grave. But Yeshua would not stay in the grave, His stone would be rolled away to reveal an empty tomb and to reveal that the deep well of life was available for all the sheep of His pasture.

Yeshua of Galilee

The Gospel narrative tells us that Mary was from Nazareth (Luke 1:26-27) and her betrothed, Joseph, lived there as well. Nazareth was in the lower Gailean region of Israel. But Luke 2:4 tells us that Joseph’s ancestral homeland was Bethlehem because he was a descendant of David (who was also a Bethlehem native). As a result of his heritage Joseph and his family had to return to Bethlehem for the taking of the census, but that trip coincided with the time of Yeshua’s due date. During the trip Mary went into labour and Yeshua was born in Bethlehem. 

We are told that not long after his birth, Mary, Joseph, and Yeshua fled to Egypt after Herod issued a command to kill all the infant Jewish boys (**:**). Upon Herod’s death, the young family could return home. But where was home?

Matthew 2:19-23

But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, and said, “Get up, take the Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel; for those who sought the Child’s life are dead.” 

So Joseph got up, took the Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Then after being warned by God in a dream, he left for the regions of Galilee [Greek: Galilaias], and came and settled in a city called Nazareth. This happened so that what was spoken through the prophets would be fulfilled: “He will be called a Nazarene.”

Yeshua was born in Bethlehem, but raised in Nazareth. For this reason, most people in the Biblical narrative were unaware of Yeshua’s connection to Bethlehem, the city of David:

John 7:37-52

Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. The one who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” But this He said in reference to the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. 

Some of the people therefore, after they heard these words, were saying, “This truly is the Prophet.” Others were saying, “This is the Messiah.” But others were saying, “Surely the Messiah is not coming from Galilee, is He? Has the Scripture not said that the Messiah comes from the descendants of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” 

So a dissension occurred in the crowd because of Him. And some of them wanted to arrest Him, but no one laid hands on Him.

The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, and they said to them, “Why did you not bring Him?” 

The officers answered, “Never has a man spoken in this way!” 

The Pharisees then replied to them, “You have not been led astray too, have you? Not one of the rulers or Pharisees has believed in Him, has he? But this crowd that does not know the Law is accursed!” 

Nicodemus (the one who came to Him before, being one of them) said to them, “Our Law does not judge the person unless it first hears from him and knows what he is doing, does it?” 

They answered and said to him, “You are not from Galilee as well, are you? Examine the Scriptures, and see that no prophet arises out of Galilee.”

In this beginning of this passage, Yeshua called out for people to come and drink from the well of life. It should remind us of the sheep that waited for the stone to be rolled away from water-well in the Jacob/Rachel story. Listening to Yeshua, many of the people understood this metaphor and thought that perhaps Yeshua was the promised Messiah that Isaiah and others spoke about throughout history. But this was puzzling. The Messiah was supposed to come from Bethlehem, not Galilee.

In this passage, we are privy to their ignorance, but they are not, and as a result the chief priests and Pharisees were revealed as fools. Yeshua was from Galilee but He was also born in Bethlehem. The religious elite were blind to Yeshua’s heritage. Certain of their superiority, they worked with Rome to kill Yeshua and rid themselves of what they considered a troublesome rebel. 

Little did they know that they were antagonist agents in a divine plan. Yeshua was the sacrificial lamb sent to fulfill YHWH’s plan to redeem all of humanity. The priests and Pharisees did not expect that their actions would destroy Yeshua but actually elevate Him to divine glory. By being raised up (on the cross) Yeshua would fulfill YHWH’s plan to save Jews and Gentiles from  the harsh grasp of death. Out of destruction and death can come outrageous beauty and life.

Yeshua succumbed to death, but then defeated death. After returning to life, He presented himself to the women mourning at His tomb:

Matthew 28:5-10, 16-20

And the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you to Galilee [Greek: Galilaian]. There you will see Him; behold, I have told you.”

And they (the women) left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to report to His disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Rejoice!” And they came up and took hold of His feet, and worshiped Him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go, bring word to My brothers to leave for Galilee [Galilaian], and there they will see Me.”

…the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee [Galilaian], to the mountain which Jesus had designated to them. And when they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful. And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

It is interesting that the resurrected Yeshua wanted to meet His disciples back in Galilee. It was from Galilee, not Jerusalem, that they were to go out and make disciples. 

Galilee is all about refuge, rolling stones, thirsty sheep, and a light in the wilderness. It is a reminder that God’s rescue and redemption is for all of humanity, Jews and Gentiles. A place once deemed “worthless”, a place of shackles and nothingness, was the perfect place for the Messiah to show up, gather His people, set them free, and lead them home to the Father.

Next week: Flourishing/Luxuriant/Vibrant