Israel Journey: Day Twelve

The Israeli Museum was the primary stop today.  It was unbelievable!  I saw so many artifacts, to include the oldest copies of biblical text known to us today (they predate the Dead Sea Scrolls by 400 years!).  There was also a crucified heel bone with nail still in place; this was one of the few archeological evidences for crucifixion.  To culminate my time at the museum, I visited The Shrine of the Book, which is an exhibit that displays portions of the Isaiah scroll, as found in 1947 near the Dead Sea.  I got chills as I realized that I was looking at something that I had talked about for years as being strong evidence for why I believe the Bible is historically accurate.

Tonight was very special.  We spent new years eve with an alliance of churches from all around Jerusalem.  As I said yesterday, the Jerusalem church has amazed me in many ways.  The nation of Israel is only 2.5% Christian and is still being persecuted today.  There are hardly any christian institutions to speak of, and the government directly frustrates their desire to grow.  Because of this, many Christians have fled the country in the past ten years, which has left an even greater void.  

The church operates differently in Israel than it does in the United States.  They cling to each other and whenever they encounter another believer they are warmly greeted.  These people are sold out for Christ and have put their family relationships, their jobs, sometimes their very lives on the line in order to spread the Gospel.  In the United States, if the church doesn't have the right type of music or the right program, a person will go and find another church... and then another... until they are comfortable.  It makes me sad to think about the lukewarm church in America.

We spent the night playing games, eating great food, and praising God through song and listening of the Word.  The first song we sang at midnight?  Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest!

Israel Journey: Day Eleven

Went to the Temple Mount and walked around the Al Aqsa Mosque.  There were many activities happening within the walls of the Temple Mount.  Numerous games such as soccer and volleyball, as well as students studying at the religious school.

Walked down into The Kidron Valley.  More on this later.

The city was alive with activity today.  There were numerous sports events happening, and I watched an older Jewish man school some young guys in soccer.  There were also many bar mitzvahs, which were individual celebratory concerts in their own respect.

There are so many cats in Israel!
They're almost as numerous as squirrels in the United States.

I was on the city bus and looked out the window just in time to see a sign for Calvary Baptist Church!  I quickly pushed the button to get off, and walked around the area in search of the church.  Since it was a church that operated out of a home, it was very difficult to find.  After talking with a couple of old ladies, I found it, became connected with the pastor, and went to services later that night.  There are so many stories associated with these few hours; to summarize, I have been amazed by the church in Jerusalem.  I'll blog more about this topic tomorrow.

Israel Journey: Day Ten

Today was sobering.  I spent nearly all morning and well into the afternoon at Yad Vashem, the world's leading Holocaust memorial, museum, and documentation center.  The visit greatly heightened my appreciation of the country and its people.  I had visited the Holocaust museum in Washington D.C. and even the extermination camps in Germany, but this experience was quite shocking.  Throughout the day it felt as if needles were constantly pricking my eyes as I listened and viewed with stunned horror the atrocities that had occurred to the Jewish people.  There were so many things I had never heard or read.

The Children's Memorial was unsettling and shocking.  Over 1.5 million children and babies were killed in the death camps.  Inside the memorial it is completely dark, except for myriad pinpoints of light like stars, each representing the life of a child taken away.  A ceaseless voice reads their names, places of birth, and ages.

It really is too hard to explain in this type of forum.  Photographs are not allowed inside Yad Vashem, which makes it all the more difficult.

Afterwards, I visited nearby Mount Herzl, the final resting place of Theodor Herzl, founder of the Zionist movement.  Surrounding the large mountaintop area is the Israeli War Memorial, where thousands of Israeli soldiers are buried and memorialized, as well as prominent Israeli figures including Levi Eshkol (Israel's third prime minister) and Golda Meir (Israel's fourth prime minister).

It started to rain slightly (the first rain since I've been here), which made the day seem all the more contemplative.  As I left Mt. Herzl and Yad Vashem, I felt like I was in some sort of mental fog.  I just couldn't believe what human beings were capable of doing to each other.  I went back to the old city and just walked around the rest of the day.  I caught bus 81 to the house, where I was pleased to be warmly welcomed with good company and another fantastic meal.

Israel Journey: Day Seven, Eight, Nine

The past few days have been amazing!  I went with a group of nine others to the Sea of Galilee for a three day camping trip.  Drove through the ruins of Sodom and Gomorrah, which are now a barren wasteland full of sulfuric rock.  We went across the Sea to Tiberias, and bought fresh fish caught that morning to cook over the fire.  It was such a surreal moment.

During the day we went to the ruins of Capernaum.  According to Matthew (4:12-14), Jesus moved to Capernaum, from Nazareth, which fulfilled the words of the prophet Isaiah (9:1-2).  John 6:42 implies that Jesus was already well known in Capernaum, as were his parents.  Here, all the Gospels agree, Jesus encountered first Simon and Andrew, then James and John, all of them fishermen working on the nearby Sea of Galilee.  He then began preaching "in the synagogues throughout all Galilee" but mostly around Capernaum, where He performed numerous miracles.

One of the most memorable moments this weekend was visiting The Mount of Beatitudes, where Jesus gave His famous Sermon on the Mount, marking the start of Christianity's separation from Judaism.  This is where Jesus spent all night in prayer and named the 12 disciples.  The location is absolutely breathtaking and to walk into the cathedral and see each of the beatitudes surrounding the dome is incredibly powerful.

Stopped in at the Church of the Twelve Disciples.  This is the location Jesus is said to have healed the man lowered through the roof by his four friends.

Spent the last day closing up camp and then went to the Syrian border for some relaxation at the Hamat Gader Hot Springs.  According to Byzantine empress Eudocia, these were the finest spa baths in the whole Roman world.  Even the ruins are considered among the most impressive anywhere.  It is located in the Yarmuk Valley at the meeting point of Israel, Jordan, and Syria, which means it bristles with army patrols.  As my friend Jesura said, "this experience was better than any man-made jacuzzi".  There was also an interesting Alligator Farm and Petting Zoo located at the spa.

Lastly, I wanted to share a picture of the stars, as they rose over the Golan Heights.  

I spent quite some time laying by the Sea of Galilee just watching the night sky.  

Israel Journey: Day Six

Christmas Day was wonderful with the Elbel family.  Woke up and had breakfast, read the Christmas account from Matthew and Luke, sang songs, and opened presents.  Then we put together a puzzle, spoke to Arend and Layla through Skype, ate dinner, watched the girls perform a dance, and played games while drinking coffee, eating pie, and laughing.

We played Christmas music all day and it was amazing to hear songs about Bethlehem and Jerusalem and realize that I had just seen those sights this past week.  This day has come alive to me in more ways than one.

"She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins."
~Matthew 1:21

Israel Journey: Day Five

Went to the open market today in the Old City near the Damascus Gate.  One of these days I will be capturing the culture through photographs of the people.  Bought gifts today for friends and family and enjoyed fresh falafal with my friends Ramzi and Sameer.

Bethlehem: O Holy Night!  The celebration in Nativity Square was remarkable.  Met some friends on the bus, Ross and Pamela.  Numerous local and international choirs sang songs while people danced and ate food, as we lit Chinese lanterns and launched them into the night sky.  Arriving shortly after us was a special visit to the manger site by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.  Found a near-American version of Starbucks (look closely at the sign).  To finish the night, after pleading with local security personnel for 1.5 hours, we were able to bypass five security checkpoints, sneak into St. Catherine's Church of the Nativity, and witness midnight mass in six languages.