Goodly Pearls

There, being still followed by great crowds, He escapes from them to the neighborhood of Caesarea Philippi—built by Herod Philip for his own self-glorification. The Lord brings the disciples here in order that they might have more freedom and privacy for their own communion. The Lord wanted to be alone with them. There are times when the Lord works with us in the crowded streets and there are times when He likes to meet us alone. Yet it is always for blessing, and always with a deep sense of His love in our souls.
From the map in the back of your Bible you will see that this city, Caesarea Philippi, is very near the ancient city of Dan. We see from 2 Kings that Dan was the place that Jeroboam chase to be his capital, in which he erected an altar to divert the hearts of the people from that which was the true place where Israel ought to worship. God sets His mark on what it was in His eyes, because He always says in connection with that man. "He made My people to sin." Here the city was in ruins, crumbling into dust a picture of the works of man.