Galilee of the Gentiles

So then this area, today rather appropriately called False Bay, is the Sea of Gallilli (Galilee) mentioned in The Scriptures. Remember there are many such Galleys along the Western and Eastern Cape, having the coastal areas being referred to in old days as Gallilli - Sea of Galleys, Sea of Shores, Sea of Ports.

Galilee or the Galley of the Gentiles, in this instance was among the foreign nations that came in by way of the sea. Although there are other local tribes in that area such as the Amorites and the Hittites (or Hottentots). This Bay or Gulley connects many worlds and was a major known Seaport back in the day. It was called the Seaport of the Gentiles because the Nations (Gentiles) would come in and out of the Bay with their trading. And they have done just that over the years, from Babylonia, Ships of Tarshish, Egyptian merchants, seasoned Indians (perhaps Elamites) with spices from India, Assyrians (later Samaritans), ancient Asians, Arabians, Roman conquerors, Greek philosophers, and in later times Portuguese, Dutch and English. They would all enter into through the Sea of Gentiles for trade, nothing has changed as Gentiles (Nations) still come and gather at the Cape of Nahum, Abrahams Cape of Comforts.

Now we need some Scriptures to corroborate all this don't we?, Thought you would never ask, lets dive !

Now Isaiah said in chapter 8 and verse 20, after Assyria had taken over much of the Promised Land, they first attacked Zebulons and Naphtalis lands which would all be far south or north, all depending on were you place Negev (The Desert of the South) and Jerusalem. Now in Isaiah it is described as being in the northern parts of Ancient Israel. The attacks came in two waves. Now let us assume that Zebulon (Zebulwanes Totem was a boat) was by the coast (Western cape and Eastern Cape today). Interestingly, if you use these cardinal directions, That would make North opposite of South today.

These first Assyrian attacks then, from the NORTH, resulted in Bantus being deported and taken captive (slavery). The second wave enslaved them even further and according to Scripture a great deal of people got deported AND then imported people established themselves in the Area of Zebulwane and Nobuhlali, also known as the area of Galilee. And it was the Assyrian descendants that heavily populated these areas and was referred to as Samaritans in the days of uMsindisi. The Samaritans still are to be found in these areas today, hence not everyone is of the 12 Tribes of Jacob living in southern Africa today. But many an ancestry is by now mixed and intermarried, perhaps within the 12 Tribes or more likely Gentiles. Don't look for purity here people, but look for the Gospel where we are all brothers and sisters.

Now Isaiah prophesied and told that the region of Galilee would get to see great blessings from uMsindisi (Isaiah 9,1-2) as he spent quite allot of time in the region. Now it has been dominated by foreigners for centuries, hence the name Galilee of the Gentiles. Isaiah also mentions the best known Highways back in the day, which was 'By way of the sea', the Great Oceans were not barriers, but Roads. Now Assyrian soldiers used this route when they invaded the NORTHERN Kingdom and through Zebulwanes territory (Zebulon). This way of reading the cardinal directions means we have north and south correct, but ever so misunderstood because it all depends where you place Jerusalem. More on that as we build up our knowledge (note image above says Mountains of Ararat down at the Cape, we believe they are further in towards Lesotho and the Eastern Cape, a separate post coming).

Now Isaiah predicted that it was from Galilee that the Saviour would come and wipe away the gloom bought on by Gentile control and rule (Roman).

If we go to Matthew 4,14-15, we find that Immanuel returned to Galilee after hearing about John the Baptist being arrested, then he left the Area of Nazareth in Judas territory (spanning now over the old Basutholands) and headed for the Galilee of the Gentiles, Capernaum or as we have theorised it may have been Cape Town. However it may also have been further to the EAST of the Coastal lands towards Eastern Cape or even KwaZulu Natal. We don't know for certain.

Here comes Matthew 4,13-16:

12 When Immanuel heard that John had been put in prison, he withdrew to Galilee. 13 Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali— 14 to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah:

15 “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— 16 the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.”

Lets put it next to Isaiah 9,1:

9 Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honour Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—

Matthew kinda abbreviates the verse, as we can see, there is allot of Geographical locations to glean from these pointers. So The River Jordan, would be Orange River, and Galilee of the Nations (by way of the sea) would be the area today known as Cape Town on one of the sides of the Jordan. Now Isaiah 9,1-2 talks about the very same verses and wordings (Isaiah 9,1-2):

Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—

We see that Capernaum, where Immanuel had moved/relocated too, was in the Region of Naphtali (Nobuhlali) in Galilee, which was also close to the Land of Zebulon (Zebulwane) along the coast. Now in Greek `Toward the sea` or by way of the sea, did refer to a specific route (well known in ancient times and well known today), we could put it something like by the road of the sea. Isaiah talks about an Assyrian invasion from of northern Israel (that would make North by the Coast), Toward the Sea, beyond the Jordan right? We see here that they came by way of the sea, the region of Zebulon and Naphtali. This also puts into question what Sea of Galilee actually means, it is an old reference to the Sea where you find Gulleys (shores) all along the coast culminating on the Galilee of the Gentiles (todays Capernaum). If we read extra Bilbical sources we find even more elaborating terms such as Region of the Gentiles, the Region being Galil (Coastal regions of Western and Eastern Cape). This area of Gentiles description was used both in Isaiah´s and Matthew´s days, they were just as relevant. Galilee was mostly settled by Hebrews (Bantus). But the Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who walk in darkness, according to the Hebrews.

So then, we have two Galilees, one for Bantus and one for Gentiles. This division of Galilee existed from as early as Solomons times, who gifted 20 cities to King Hyram of Tyre, and it was amply named Galilee of the Gentiles, since then.

Now by the Sea, seems to be meant close to the Lake of Gennesaret, which was formed by the waters of the Jordan. Some puts this lake and Garden of Getsemane all the way up in the Congo, that may be. Also Kidron Valley may have been deep into Zimbabwe. Now we still have a lake to account for. Now this complicates things for researchers like us, because, a lake would certainly be large by todays and ancient standards, but there are no substantial lakes in Southern Africa today. So Either it has dried up (salt flats in Botswana and South Africa) or the Lake was actually further up.

Now by the sea, as its written : we find Lake Gennesaret a lake formed by Jordan, and on the shores of this lake, we again would expect to find: Capernaum (which typically is thought of as Being Cape Town if so it needs to be on a lake), furthermore we have Tiberias, Bethsaida and Corozaim, ALL places that Immanuel preached at !

Moving on, It is said by Bible commentators like Jerome (who wrote the Latin Bible), that these tribes, Zebulwane and Nobuhlali, will be the first that are lightened from burden of sin, because in the country of these two tribes, is where uMsindisi first was preaching. Remember they were taken captive by Assyrians by way of the sea and Galilee was left desert. Isaiah therefore says that they were to be lightened, because they had suffered the sins of the people in the past. We remember that the remaining tribes who dwelt beyond Jordan (presumably on the East Side and in Samaria) were led into Captivity.

So the first to be invaded by the Assyrians, was the first to receive SoNiNis Gospel of Truth. The Nazarenes was then the first who was freed by the errors of the Pharisees, then Paul took it ti the next level and spread the Gospel among all the Gentiles nations on the Continent of Africa and WAY BEYOND ! Even to the ends of the earth the Gospel went, and now is returning to Africa. Where it certainly was born. Makubenjalo SoNiNi, uBawo, Siyabonga !

Uxolo lube nani