Thursday in Jerusalem 19APR18

The Holy City is downright awesome! 

City of David and Entrance
to Hezekiah's Tunnel

Early today we started at Hezekiah's tunnel. Look it up. The story is 3 times in scripture (2Ki 20:20, 2Chr 32:2-4,30, Isa 22:11) but still no one knows how they accomplished it. Before  Sennacherib of Assyria besieged Jerusalem, King Hezekiah stopped up water sources outside Jerusalem and constructed a tunnel - some digging from the spring of Gihon and others digging from the pool of Siloam. They met in the middle at a slope that allows the water to flow into the city.  How did they do that in 701 BCE? It winds for the length of 6 football fields through solid rock.  You walk it - in flowing water up to your thighs in the dark narrow space. Starting into it freaked me out! A flashlight helped, but what an experience! Would I do it again? You bet I would! It's part of the story of how God rescued Judah from Assyria. We spent a few moments by the pool of Siloam (now under reconstruction) where Jesus told the man born blind to go and wash (John 9:1-7).

You have descended two
thousand years

Then we hiked up another "dry" tunnel - through which some Jews escaped the Roman destruction of 70AD. It actually was the sewer from under the dung gate (imagine). It was longer, but we moved faster and exited under the Western Wall near the Kotel. At that spot we emmerged near huge temple stones thrown off the temple courts by the Romans in their destruction. And on one stone was found the inscription "the place of blowing" - from above where priests blew the shofar as call to worship.

Studying at the foot of the Southern
approach to the Temple

We walked around to the Southern approaches where Jesus would have come and gone to the Temple with his disciples and where also it's likely the events of Pentecost took place (Acts 2).  Nearby are over 50 mikva for ritual washing/
baptism where the 3,000 new believers would have been baptized. 

Prayer at the Kotel

Then my most powerful experience of the day when we went to pray at the Kotel (you might know it as the "Wailing Wall").  I prayed there for several of my friends who have significant needs. There also I blessed and thanked God for giving me the opportunity of experiencing this.  We then toured the Rabbinic Tunnels and got as close as physically possible to the place where in Jesus' day the Holy of Holies stood.

All of that before a late lunch. We then toured an uncovered wealthy home from Jesus day (likely a Sadducee home) which was amazing.  Free time and shopping in the Arab quarter was a couple of hours in our afternoon.

It was an amazing day with more spiritual insights than I can count.  I've got pages and pages of notes to review and hundreds of photos to scan when I get home.  But I'll have memories of Jerusalem for the rest of my life  and remembrance of experiencing it with my daughter Jen.  I feel blessed.

Not sure, but this may be my final blog. Tomorrow night I may not have the time to write as I will crawl on the airplane and head back toward MN.  Pray that my flights connect well.  I arrive late Satu

Wednesday in Jerusalem

We're heading toward the tail end of this marvelous Israel Study Tour; "Come and Learn to Walk" and it's all been about learning to walk as a follower in "the way" of Jesus. We've learned a lot about the historical and cultural context in which Jesus came and proclaimed the good news of the Kingdom. I think it's true that the closer we can get in understanding Jesus day, His people, and the long stream of God's interaction with that people - God's chosen people, the better we can understand Jesus' teaching and the development and expectations of being His disciple.  We've been learning loads.

Orienteering

Today we began in Jerusalem at the Jaffa gate.  What you see above ground are all the walls built by Sulieman the Magnificent surrounding the Old City.  Most of it is built upon the foundations of the walls Jesus would have seen.  In Psalm 51 David prayed for mercy, forgiveness and cleansing after his sin with Bathsheba, but his prayer moves to the city he loves, asking God that this great sin would not stain its future.  "May it please You to prosper Zion, to build up the walls of Jerusalem."

We hiked down to the Pool of Bethesda where Jesus healed the lame man (John 5). This again was the site of a pagan rite of Asclepius where mysterious healings were said to occur.  Here is Jesus again in contest with the pagan religions, demonstrating that as God in flesh, he could do with a word, what all the invalids were struggling to obtain. It's always been curious to me why in this crowd of cripples Jesus heals only one disabled man.

Dome over Church
of the Holy Sepulcre

From there we walked down to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Most Protestants have preferred Gordon's Calvary as the site of the crucifixion, burial and resurrection (me too). Gordon, a British Army officer reasoned that since the scripture referred to the site as outside the city walls, it couldn't have been the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.  But the walls in Gordon's day had been extended outward and the site of the Holy Sepulchre was outside the walls of Jesus' day. Does it matter? Not really. The whole point is that He is not there, He is risen as He said.  (Matt 28:6)

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre was abuzz with pilgrims and a cacophony of several worship services at once. Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Coptic, Syriac and Ethiopian all share the space and conflicts do erupt about encroachments of space. By agreement, a Muslim family is custodian of the key.  This mess of religious jealousy and competition is also the kind of sin Jesus assumed on His cross. Some day soon He will return and all of the silly debates will be over.

Reference to Caiaphas
the High Priest on
ossuary of his son.

Spike through heel
of crucifixion victim

We spent the remainder of the morning at the Museum of Israel and the Shrine of the Book.  There we saw the original Dead Sea Scrolls and many archaeological finds from the Biblical periods.  Several of the finds show extrabiblical evidence for biblical characters.  The first and only reference to the House of David is found on an Aramaic stone monument.  I particularly enjoyed seeing artifacts I had written about way back in Seminary.

Then we headed to the Suq for a late lunch.  Jen and I sat and ate in the crowded market and so enjoyed our time together.  I will always be honored that Jen asked me to join her on this journey.  If we ever get the chance for another, it will have to involve a bit less activity.

Lunch with Jen
at the Suq

Tuesday 17APR18

Temple Mount
from Olivet

Today we began to experience Jerusalem.  After breakfast, we jumped in the bus for a half hour drive across to the Eastern approaches to Jerusalem.  As we drove, the words going over and over in my head were the Psalms about this amazing holy city.  "As the mountain surround Jerusalem so the Lord surrounds His people both now and forever more."  Psalm 125:2 - I've never seen such an up and down city.  Steep doesn't even describe it.  But a glorious promise.

Gethsemane

We caught our first glimpses from the Mount of Olives (some of you will remember my map of the Triumphal Entry). It's every bit as gorgeous as you've heard.  We reflected there on the Palm Sunday crowds acclaiming him as King and hoping Jesus would lead a revolt against Rome.  Shouting "Hosannah," waving palm branches, songs of exaltation and then Jesus cleansing the Temple all had connections with the previous revolt of the Maccabees.  It surely freaked out the Jewish leaders.  We descended (walking- uff-da) to the Garden of Gethsemane and the beautiful church that was still open to visitors during Mass.

The Herodian in the distance /
Mustard blossoms in foreground

Herodian scale model

The Herodian was our next stop.  Herod the Great was a builder of many great structures (including the 2nd Temple). The engineering of the Herodian, East of Jerusalem is absolutely stunning.  He literally shaved off the top of a mountain to raise the height of another mountain and there built palace, garden, swimming pools, aqueducts.  If you wonder what Jesus might be referencing in Matt 17:20 with mustard seed sized faith and moving mountains, here's a picture of mustard blooms with the Herodian in the background; a mountain literally moved on top of another mountain.  Jesus is saying - "You think that's a great feat? Your even very small faith can accomplish greater!" Herod's tomb was only recently found and excavated on this site.

We also talked there about our next stop Bethlehem, just down the valley.  How Jesus, born so humbly (and with questionable parentage according to his contemporaries) under the shadow of Herod's greatest architectural feat, would set in motion a spiritual movement that Herod could not thwart.  Numbers 24:17 Balaam prophesied the star that would rise out of Jacob to crush and conquer Edom.  In the struggle between the descendants of Jacob and Essau, the Edomites would lose. Guess who tried to destroy the infant Jesus in Bethlehem - Herod, the Idumean (Edomean). Herod would live only another few miserable years.  Jesus still cannot be stopped.

Bethlehem was our next stop where we quickly viewed the interiors of the Church of the Nativity (the crowds were crazy) had lunch and bought some beautiful olive wood carvings.

Korczak and the
Gettos children
Yad Vashem

You're not too far away from home
when you run into your insurance
man and his wife at supper.

And we ended our day at Yad Vashem - the Museum to the Holocaust.  I've always wanted to go there, and our time was short, but my heart was again broken by the inhumanity poured out on God's specially chosen people.  I've toured Dachau and been to Babi Yar and the Holocaust Museum in St Petersburg FL. But none of them saddened me like this.  I say it with them, "Never Again!"

Oh, and then at supper, I ran into Gary and Karen Hedberg (for 25+ years my insurance man) staying at our same hotel.  Crazy huh?  I wonder how many other friends I'll discover over here.

Tomorrow: City of David, Hezekiah's Tunnel, Jewish Quarter, Western Wall, Rabbinic Tunnels

Monday - Galilee to Zippori/Nazareth to Mt Carmel to Caesarea to Jerusalem

Another great day, but I'm worn out tonight.  Still lots to share.  So many lessons along the way.

Lovely Ramon Resort Hotel

We left our lovely hotel overlooking the Sea of Galilee to drive toward the Great (Mediterranean) Sea.  Zippori is a great historical place right next to Nazareth.  Not much to see in Nazareth because it has had constant habitation and presently a town preventing excavation.  But oh my - I had no idea what was right next door.

Pastor Kevin teaching
at Zippori

Amazing mosaic
all over the place

Zippori is a major Roman city with a Roman theater, pagan temples, richly adorned homes and a very sophisticated water supply.  Joseph was a techton, in the Greek - traditionally translated "carpenter," but more likely a stone cutter or mason and would have had major work in Zippori or stone quarries at Nazareth.  We spent a great time reflecting on Isaiah 51:1, 8:14 and the faithfulness of God who will repeat uniquely through Jesus the great things He did for Israel.  1Peter 2 reflects on how Jesus has taken us together as living stones to build his Temple.  It's an amazing place.  Jesus was not from just some backwater village, but raised on the edge at least of Roman culture and power.  He knew the literature and the current events of his day and incorporated them in His teaching.

Mt Carmel

Next to Mount Carmel, site of one of my favorite Old Testament stories - the contest between Elijah and the prophets of Baal (1Ki 18). I studied this passage in detail as a high schooler.  And here God proved Himself to be triumphant Lord over the pagan gods of the spiritual wandering Northern Kingdom.  Pastor Danielle had a great lesson on the passion of Elijah and the fire of God that overwhelms any cold buckets of water thrown on God's purposes.  God send your fire - that the world may know Your glory. We want to be part of the gospel story You are still weaving.

Amphitheater still used - setting up
for a concert

We traveled then to Caesarea, built gloriously by Herod the Great it is a tribute to his megalomania. It is mentioned often in Acts. Peter there first brought the gospel to Gentiles (Acts 10). It was through here that Paul traveled with the gospel.  It had one of the early strong, outreaching Chrisitan churches (Acts 21).  This place is crazy impressive.  Herod the Great built a twin sided amphitheater, a huge hippodrome, a massive palace with fresh water swimming pool out into Mediterranean and an double aqueduct that brought fresh water over 7 km, most through tunnels and over deep valleys with a steady 1% drop for a perfect gravity flow.

What an amazing day with huge implications about how the gospel of Jesus intersects and impacts secular (even pagan) culture.  Rome is long dead.  The gospel of Jesus will triumph over every government of man. I've set my loyalty on the Eternal King.

Tonight we're in the Holy City.

Saturday & Sunday - Two most amazing days of learning. 14-15APR18

Tel Dan today

Could you ever imagine Israel looking like this?  It felt like those walks through the Everglades, but the North, the West and the upper altitudes are "wet" while the South, the East and the lower altitudes are dry.  So the past couple of days have had some amazing surprises.

Jen descending Arbel

Yesterday began with a drive then climb up Mount Arbel, which may be the mountain mentioned in Matt 14 where Jesus withdrew to pray.  It drops precipitously to the shores of the Sea of Galilee right above Migdal.  The vistas up there are just amazing and Jen along with the younger ones in the troup climbed down the front side while we drove to pick them up. 

Then we visited Migdal - the home of one of Jesus key disciples, Mary of  Migdal (thus the identifier "Magdalene").  Archaeologists only recently uncovered a synagogue there where we can be certain Jesus preached (Luke 8:1-2).  I've looked at the same hills Jesus looked at and it's likely I've looked at the same floor stones he would have seen.

Synagogue at Migdal

We visited Capernaum and there learned about the purpose and scope of a synagogue in Jesus' day.  There the largest first century synagogue was found.  We discovered that of all the religious groups of his day Jesus' theology was closest to the Pharisees, believing in the inspiration of scripture, the resurrection, angels and demons:  and saying to his disciples, "Listen to what they say. Just don't do what they do." (Matt 23:3)    

I love this photo...
Opening God's Word
every step of the way

Then to the Mount of Beatitudes where we spent a great time talking about Jesus lifestyle, genuinely loving our enemies what it means to be salt and light as the ones blessed in their poverty of spirit, mourning, famished for righteousness, etc. There is no challenge in life as demanding becoming like Jesus in his heart and his words and his actions.   Bethsaida is an interesting, unpretentious place; home of Andrew, Peter, James, John.  There we talked about the feeding of the 5000 and the 4000 and the amazing allusions to and fulfillment of the OT.  

Wow! What a day!

So that brings us to today, Sunday.  We began at Gamla, site of the earliest battles of the Jewish rebellion that resulted in the destruction of the Temple and ended with Masada.  Did you know that what our bibles translate as eagles are really the vultures that circle above here in the heights.  To the ancients, they were noble, strong, graceful birds... symbolizing God's strength and constancy.  Shocked? I'd read that before, but now we saw them.  Amazing birds.

This is the type of
roof dug through to bring
a paralytic to be healed

Then we visited Katzrin, a reconstructed village to what it would have looked like in Jesus day.  Amazing to see things like winnowing forks, lamps on stands, sleeping quarters, home construction and daily tools. We talked there about the concrete nature of Jesus' teaching and the life of a disciple.  Too often we moderns spiritualize and let ourselves off-the-hook from the life Jesus has really called us to live.

So we then went as far North as we might go in Israel, to the Syrian border.  There, we encountered some U.N. peacekeeping forces from a variety of European nations.  Jen bought honey from a seller of the Druze sect.  Best I've ever tasted.

We then went to Caesarea Philippi, and heard Jesus again question, "Who do you say that I am?"  We remember Peter's life changing confession... but did you know this was a pagan site where Pan was worshiped with wicked debauchery.  And did you know that the cave pictured here was known as the "gates of hades" (a channel to the underworld) from which Pan was thought to emerge as beckoned by the pagan debauchery.  Other rich discoveries from the text made us scratch our heads and squint to see what Jesus might really be saying.  Great discoveries there on what the "keys to the kingdom" might involve along with "binding" and "loosing." What would those mean in a Rabbinic teaching context?  God's teaching us lots!

Our final visit for today was Tel Dan where in the early divided kingdom Jeroboam set up pagan altars as competing places of worship in Jerusalem. (1Kings 12:29)  We walked over the hill for a glimpse of Israel's other Northern border with Lebanon.  Then we walked around the hill to an uncovered ancient Canaanite gate dated to the early or middle Bronze Age that we can be quite sure Abraham actually walked through. (Gen 14)

So sorry for burdening you with two days discoveries.  It's an amazing study tour.  You've gotta not only have good feet, ankles and legs (of which I have none) but you have to have a quick mind (don't got that either, but I'm having a blast!).

Shabbat Shalom.

It's Sabbath (Shabbat) today and I will skip the writing tonight to spend some quality time with my daughter Jen. Great stuff to tell you when I catch up tomorrow.

Friday - Beautiful day in Galilee 13APR18

Well, I've been in Israel just over a week. As I write, sundown has happened, and the evening stars signal the beginning of Sabbath (Shabbat) until sundown tomorrow. It's a day of rest for both secular and observant Jews. We're in Galilee, a more observant part of Israel and I'm eager to see what tomorrow brings. We will be on the study tour and we'll be out and around.

Galilee

Today was grand. We started out with a beautiful boat ride on the Sea of Galilee (Tiberias, Genneseret, Kineret, Chinnereth - all those names). It was a beautiful, though hazy morning. They know what to play over the sound system for American Christians - "Give Thanks"... with a grateful heart, then raising the American Flag to the Star Spangled Banner. Kind of tarnished the moment for me. But devotions there were awesome. I John 2:6 Anyone who claims to be intimate with God ought to live the same kind of life that Jesus lived. (MSG) A high order. A paraphrase from Richard Wurmbrand - Some are only customers, not disciples of Jesus. I'll be chewing on that for a long time.

Synagogue at Capernaum

Then we spent the morning visiting and studying Capernaum (the center of Jesus ministry) and Korazin. This area of Galilee was the center of Rabbinic Judaism during Jesus' day. The sites are amazing archaeologically with beautiful synagogue ruins, but we talked through the foundation of Jesus teaching and ministry in the Tanach (OT). I'm so amazed with our teachers and their depth of scripture knowledge.

Tzitzit (Nu 15:38, Deut 22:12)

At Korazin I saw new stuff in Jesus words of John 14. I never saw marriage imagery there before, but I won't miss it now. We studied Matt 9 and the woman with the issue of blood who was healed when she touched the "tzitzit" of his garment and the amazing connection to Malachi 4:2. Who knew what she touched on the hem of Jesus garment and why?  Sweet story.

Great Goat Cheese!

Then we were served the most amazing lunch of goat cheese, salads and fresh bread at a gorgeous restaurant under a huge arbor. The goats were just 15 yards away from the tables and we were probably within a half mile of where the produce was raised. Simply sumptuous. I'd come back to Israel just for another taste.

Tabkha - site of John 21

We then started at the top and marched down the Mount of Beatitudes. There we read Jesus teaching and considered big implications of being salt and light in the hard places of those Jesus calls the blest. We trekked down to the shore of Galilee and I got to stand at the only possible place for one of my most favorite Jesus stories from John 21. A warm spring there identifies the place for the type of night fishing and the post resurrection conversation Jesus has with Peter. 

The insights, challenges and moments of spiritual warmth come so fast and so powerful that I can hardly retain them in my mind. But they sure are changing my heart.