A wildfire along the Sea of Galilee has uncovered new ruins at el-Araj that support the claim that this site is the biblical town of Bethsaida, the hometown of Peter, Andrew, and Philip and a place where Jesus performed miracles.
We often hear about fires destroying land and history, but this summer’s fire revealed something hidden for centuries.
As believers, moments like this remind us how closely land, Scripture, and real life remain connected.
The Bible speaks of real towns, real people, and real events, and Bethsaida is one of those places named again and again in the Gospels.
The fire broke out in July as archaeologists were getting ready for a new dig season. Dr. Steven Notley of Pillar College said, “We looked across the lake and saw there was a fire here.” The flames burned for 17 hours and destroyed tools and equipment.
For over 100 years, thick plants and flooding from the nearby lake had hidden the true size of the ancient town. When the team returned after the fire, they found that the thick plants had burned away, showing walls, stones, and remains never seen before.
Dr. Motti Aviam of Kinneret College said, “After the fire was down and we walked in the burned area, we found the remains of Bethsaida Julius.”
The ruins included houses, pottery, and parts of public buildings from the Roman period. This showed the town was much larger than scholars once believed.
Dr. Notley shared that the fire stopped just before reaching a Byzantine church, saying, “It was the hand of God that stopped it from burning the basilica.” Inside that church, a Greek inscription honors Peter as the ‘Keeper of the Keys.’
Dr. Aviam said, “There is no other inscription in the eastern Mediterranean that is mentioned as the ‘Keeper of the Keys.’”
Dr. Carrie Wood of Regent University noted that stone vessels and an inkwell show people here lived ordered, educated lives. She said, “The Bible is true… Archaeology shows us and strengthens the word of God.”
Today, Bethsaida stands as one of the most meaningful New Testament sites in the Holy Land. It reminds us that the places we read about in Scripture still leave marks in the soil.
The incredible discovery has amazed people across the world and sparked deep reflection among viewers online.
One person wrote in the video comments, “May God open the eyes of the spiritually blind to know the truth and turn to Jesus the only way to salvation and eternal life before it’s too late.”
Another person shared, “Whatever is hidden will surely come to light and it doesn’t matter how loudly or how intensely people deny the existence of the early church and Christ, the truth will either set them free or condemn them.”
As we see history uncovered step by step, may we grow in gratitude for God’s Word and the way it continues to stand firm across time.
WATCH: Wildfire Reveals Lost Biblical Town of Jesus’ Disciples
