Magadan 

Located on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, Magadan is known today by the name Al-Majdal and is the site of a small village.

In Jesus’ time, Magadan Park was the site of a camp that was used for a time by Jesus and his apostles. It was from Magadan that the preaching tour of the Decapolis was launched on August 18, 29 CE. One month later, those who took part on the Decapolis tour returned to Magadan. Rodan of Alexandria delivered a series of talks at this camp at Magadan in September, 29 CE. It is also the site of the Ordination of the Seventy on November 19, 29 CE. The Magadan camp was disbanded on Tuesday, December 6, 29 CE and moved to a site near Pella.

In some modern citations, Magadan and Magdala are thought to be one and the same, but this is not supported by The Urantia Book. Others theorize that Magadan was the site of the feeding of the five thousand, but we learn in The Urantia Book that this park in Magadan was near the site, but not the site itself.

Magadan Park was outside the jurisdiction of Herod, who had sent word to Jesus that as long as he stayed out of Galilee, he would not be bothered. In August of 29 CE, Jesus began the reorganization of his followers at this location. On Monday, August 9, a conference was held at Magadan with believers, evangelists, the women’s corps, and other interested followers.

Throughout this month of August, Jesus and the twelve used the Magadan encampment as their headquarters, coming and going from there on several of their forays. One of the most important journeys they took was to the area of Caesarea-Philippi. It was on this trip that the momentous event of Peter’s confession took place, followed by the events of the Transfiguration and the healing of the epileptic boy. On Thursday, August 18, the day of their return to Magadan, Jesus launched the teaching tour of the Decapolis from the Magadan Park location.

The Decapolis tour lasted one month, and all parties returned to Magadan Park on Friday, September 16.

Rodan was a Greek philosopher who had become a disciple of Jesus as a result of a mission conducted by an associate of Abner in Alexandria, Rodan’s home. Sometime in September of 29 CE, Rodan gave a series of ten talks at the Magadan encampment that was his endeavor to harmonize his own philosophy with the teachings of Jesus. Jesus left Magadan Park on September 30 to attend the feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem, leaving Nathaniel and Thomas behind to discuss philosophy and the Master’s new teachings about the kingdom of heaven with Rodan.

Jesus returned to Magadan Park late on the afternoon of Wednesday, November 2, 29 CE. And on Saturday, November 19, the Seventy (consisting of Abner and ten of the former apostles of John, fifty-one of the earlier evangelists, and eight other disciples who had distinguished themselves in the service of the kingdom) were ordained by Jesus and sent forth on their first mission. They had been involved in intensive training for this mission ever since Jesus returned.

From the time that the Seventy left on their mission, Jesus and his apostles were in preparation to establish a new encampment near Pella, where the Master was baptized. And on Tuesday, December 6, 29 CE, the entire camp of almost three hundred left at dawn, arriving at a place near Pella by that night, a place that John the Baptist had used as an encampment some years before.