The Sea of Timpanogos: Where Jesus Walked?

 

The Sea of Galilee also known today as Lake Tiberius

Laguna de los Timpanogos, today known as Utah Lake

Naming a body of water is a big deal to me, names can stick in history a long time and a name of a landmark can also date a period. Names are just not as enduring as they should be. It is thought that the Sea of Galilee was named from a Hebrew word meaning harp. It was believed that the shape of the lake resembled a harp in those days. But, even 2000 years ago the name was not so solid as you would think. We can look at another name of the lake as the Sea of Gennesaret (Luke 5:1). Gennesaret  being an important fruitful land on the west side of the lake. Today the body of water we know as the Sea of Galilee is called Lake Tiberius.

Interesting note, the farms of Deseret are growing corn on the west side of Utah Lake. Corn used to feed people in need in one way or another. Now that probably seems like a stretch of the imagination to make a connection; Deseret and Gennesaret. Let's look at some of the other similarities in these bodies of water.

Utah Lake on the left and The Sea of Galilee on the right.

They don't really look the same. If we were to go by looks I think Utah Lake looks like a cartoon character blowing a bubble and The Sea of Galilee looks like the African continent. If you were to guess, wich one would you think is bigger? If you guessed the Sea of Galilee then you would be wrong. Utah lake is just a little less than twice the size of the Sea of Galilee. In a newer culture we view a sea as a larger body of water than a lake. Apparently 2000 years ago the word was used differently. The name is only as accurate as it is translated correctly. But I like it. I wish the name of Utah Lake was the Sea of Timpanogos. Timpanogos was not the original name of the mountain but it was the name of the main river that feeds Utah Lake (now named the Provo River). In fact, The Escalante party named Utah lake "Laguna de los Timpanogos".  How is that for confusing names?

Interestingly, the only outlet of the Sea of Galilee and Utah Lake is the Jordan River, but not the same one. You might recognize the Jordan River as the place where Jesus was baptized and also the place where Naman was cleansed from leprosy from your bible reading.

This picture is a representation of Jesus being baptized in the Jordan River in Israel. However it is actually the Jordan River in Utah. They look strikingly similar. Can you guess which river is which?

If you guessed Israel, Utah, Israel, Utah, than you did well.

 

Both of these rivers empty into a very salty body of water. The Jordan River in Israel empties into the Dead Sea. It is so salty that even ocean fish cannot live in it, hence the name Dead Sea. The Jordan River in Utah empties into the Great Salt Lake, another overly salty body of water that has no fish in it. Both of these salty bodies of water are larger than their mother source. In fact when early explorers stumbled across the Great Salt Lake they thought they found an inlet to the Pacific Ocean.

The Great Salt Lake from Antelope Island

The Dead Sea (Israel)

The Sea of Galilee was a great source of food for ancient Israel. Likewise Utah Lake has an abundance of fish much like the Sea of Galilee. Fish from Utah Lake have been the savior from starvation for many families throughout time. Ancient people of Utah gathered at the lake to partake of its abundance. Early pioneers reported so many fish you could walk across them to another bank. Utah Lake has been the bail out of two major depressions. It's fish being delivered even by train to needful families in modern day times. The Sea of Galilee has several carp species that occupy its waters much like Utah Lake that has a 90 percent carp biomass.

 But, what kind of fish did Jesus eat from the Sea of Galilee?

This brings me back to my grade school days. Hot school lunch Fridays was always fish sticks. I never knew why, it just was what it was, and I loved fish sticks. Little did this California boy know that it had to do with a Lentin tradition.  Now that of coarse is the watered down version of the several millennia old tradition that was passed down from biblical times. That cod was delicious but was not quite the traditional fish that Jesus ate. Rather, it was more likely he ate Tilapia and that mild tasting fish was rumored to be the fish that was caught by St. Peter in the Sea of Galilee and fed the masses in Tabgha. That is why Tilapia is known as "St. Peter's fish".

There are no Tilapia in Utah Lake. However, there is a similar mild tasting fish that is very plentiful in Utah Lake.

The White Bass

I love the story of the resurrected Christ telling his disciples, “And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.”

John 21:6

 

If you have ever fished the white bass spawn in Utah Lake you can catch the same kind of numbers that Peter and his crew brought in, even without a net. Based on the current Roman(local state authority) laws you will have to do it with a fishing rod one fish at a time. It is still very possible.

Pelicans on the Sea of Galilee

Pelicans on Utah Lake

There are plenty of beards in this cowboy town. Maybe not so Rabbinical in nature. But,  perhaps one day when I am paddling the Sea of Timpanogos I will look to the shore and see the noblest beard of them all and head to shore for a chat. Or, maybe he will walk out half way and invite me.

Matthew 14:25

25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

Matthew 28:7

7 And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.