PART I Southern Israel (mainly the Dead Sea Sea)
1st stop, Masada. Wow! A Jewish fortress that was surrounded by Roman soldiers for four months building a ramp to attack and “war machines” old school tanks. The Romans also did something really sneaky: they built a wall made of rocks that was about 3 feet tall! It was psychological warfare since from the mountain city of Masada you couldn’t see it. The next stop was En Gedi: beautiful. I might have seen the cave David hid from Saul in. Pastor Kevin, from New Orleans, taught on being like David, having the Lord be our Stronghold. J The waterfalls there are amazing! The rest of the day was free time! Unheard of apparently on these kind of trips. I hung out with my roommate, Eileen; I’m getting the taste of what it would be like to be married, well, in the bein around someone 24/7.
At the pool I got to meet several people who didn’t know the Lord. When I was on the plane I sat next to a Jew. He said that the messiah will bring peace. I asked this man why he didn’t believe Jesus was the Messiah. He said, “the Messiah wouldn’t have just left.” We talked for quite a bit and other Jews (Mexican onesJ!) came in while I was talking about what the Lord had done in my life. I also got to slather mud from the shore of the Dead Sea with a Jewish family from New York a third grader Zora, eighth grader Adam, and their mother and grandparents). J
The following day we went to Qumran. I got to see the cave where the shepherd found the Dead Sea scrolls. J Then we went to some “hot” springs. They were lukewarm, but nice and clean, not salty, which was quite different from my last swimming experience. The last two night I was staying in beautiful hotel that overlooked the “Sea of Salt” (Dead Sea); I jumped in and boy was it COLD! But it made my skin feel soooo smooth afterwards. The salt content in there is crazy; you float like a piece of Styrofoam. once your laying down it is soo hard to stand up. We then went to Gideon springs were a Pastor taught on being like Gideon, being humble, but trusting in the Lord to do great things: Judges 6:11-27. Then 7. J So good, especially verses they really spoke to me. Our final stop was Beit-Shean, an awesome city that has been excavated; 21 civilization have been found there! It overlooks the valley of Armageddon.
I’ve been having a great time. The people of the trip are awesome. Especially, this one guy, Frank, he is hilarious! Kinda gangsta big Mexican dude from L.A. He is such a jokester.
Part II Sea of Galilee
Sea of Galilee is 14 miles long and 7-8 miles wide. Every town named the town after itself.
There were lots of places to go to (pics say it well):
Our first stop was Mount of Beatitudes. The area where Jesus told many people beautiful things, Beattitudes, in Matthew 5. Pastor Louie summarized it well in saying: Have these attitudes. We cannot control our circumstances but we can control our attitudes.
Capernaum-- wow to stand in the very same synagogue Jesus taught in--amazing!
Dan Reserve
On the way to there we saw a fenced in area. Ronny explained that it was what delineated the Sabbath’s day walk. Jews can go around and around the fenced in area, just not past the fence. Here is also the Sabbath elevator, which stops on each floor so that Jews don’t have to “work” pressing the bottom of their floor.
Caesera Philippi
Road to Damascus was going around base of cliff (at the bottom of Mount Hermon).
Golan Heights
Beautiful mountains on the east side of the Sea of Galilee.
Megiddo I learned that the city gates always stand in the same place.
Battle of Armageddon will be “They gathered them together at a place” Revelation 16:16
Mount Carmel “Vineyard of God” Spring. Shaped like a giant amphitheater.
Caesarea. Capital under Romans in 1022. Caeserea had the biggest library after Alexandria.
Part III Jerusalem
The first day in Jerusalem was amazing! We started at the rabbi’s tunnel which runs along the western wall. It’s amazing how much excavation has been made in the past few years. We were as close to the Holy of Holies in the Temple. It’s so neat that now we can approach God from wherever we are we don’t have to travel hundreds of miles to be in God’s presence. How great thou art! (I am listening to that beautiful song as we speak.)
After an hour long tour we came back out to wailing wall, what used to be the closest you could get to the Holy of Holies before the excavation. Many people still go to pray there and read the scriptures, especially for barmitfzas. When I approached the wall I couldn’t bear seeing so many people, rocking back and forth reading from their prayer books. I started to cry with those little heaves.
From there we went to the Chapel of Tears, where Jesus is said to have cried. Indeed, Jesus must have cried soo much for His people.
"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!
Luke 13:34
From there we walked down Palm Sunday Road Garden of Gethsemane in the Mount of Olives. It was so neat to see 2,000 year old olive trees. Kevin gave a teaching on the importance of prayer and dependence on God. He also talked about the humanity Jesus; He did want to die like that, but He did for us… Wow, this world is soo sin sick… I remember once when I spoke in such a way. Eek!
From there we went back to the temple and stood by the outer western wall and saw how the road from Jesus’ day that had been destroyed by boulders that were dropped by the Roman army when the city was destroyed.
We also stood at the Southern Wall, gate for pilgrims and got to go to Gihron spring David came down in haste to crown Solomon king.
Genesis Land-- good times J I never thought riding a camel or eating like people did a few thousand years ago (sitting on the floor in a camel hair tent) could be so fun. J
After a quick shower Eileen and I went down for desert. I ended up speaking with one of the cooks about the Lord. We agreed to meet with friends in the lobby. I asked Frank to come with me. They ended up having a deep conversation, in which he told us he was of a priest family and struggles with certain things. After a while Frank said, let’s go. So I did. I was reminded of why it isn’t good for women to be in authority over men; they may be interested in the physical are often times able to overpower a woman if that is their intent…
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Today was a day “off”. It started out at Yad Vassem, the Holocaust museum. It is so well put together, chromatically, spatially, and architecturally. I cried, but not as much as I did in the Washington, D.C. one. From there we were dropped off at Jaffa gate where we had 3 hours to roam around. I wanted to walk the walk Jesus did from being incarcerated to being crucified “The Way of the Cross” but alas I didn’t have a map and I couldn’t go by myself… A missionary from Calavary Chapel Jerusalem took us to eat Shwarmas--yum. It was a bit frustrating to be in a big group trying to shop. But it was really nice to get to drink a cup of chocolate with the group. Boy was it good chocolate. We dined in the coffee shop of the first protestant church in the Middle East. It was really cool to see Christians from all over the world there. I spoke to a woman from London who is a missionary to the Muslim people.
From there a group of three women and I went shopping--fun times. Hahaha. I almost had it out with a guy I felt was trying to force Mary to buy something. Everything turned out okay. I apologized for being rough with him. From there we went to see an outdoor large scale model of Jerusalem during the time of Herod’s temple--awesome. We also saw the Dead Sea Scrolls; it was soo neat to see pieces of the Bible that were written hundred s of years before… and knowing there are not any significant difference from the Bible I hold in my hands today. When we got on the bus Erik gave me a Marcos Wit CD. That was really sweet of him; he had asked me what kind of music I listen to and knew I would like this CD.
The best part of the day was going to Calvary Chapel Jerusalem’s bible study. It was so awesome to hear the Russian believers sing and hear the beautiful violin playing. I also got to meet three amazing women. The first is a missionary in Jerusalem. She is not married and reaffirmed me that Jesus is sufficient. She cautioned me to guard my heart. The second women was a teacher in Spain. On the van ride back to the hotel I got to talk to a young lady who had just come to Jerusalem was a missionary. She had been called to Jerusalem 12 years ago. She finally had the finances to come, and here she was. She told me how the Lord had confirmed her calling and used her to encourage others on the way. There were several things that stood out from what she told me, but here are two. She stayed up until 5 a.m. praying! She went to a church the Lord lead her to, to talk to a Pastor she had never met. She told him all about how God had been speaking to her. The Pastor told her he was packing up his things that day because he wasn’t seeing things as he did in the book of Acts; he is now a missionary in Spain! I think the Lord is confirming my going to Spain also I need to pray more.
We were able to make it back to the hotel in time to write in and give the Gospel of John to Amirod and Ramzi. Then, I slept like a log.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
I am currently flying over Italy listening to I’ll Fly Away. What an awesome trip! Speaking of Italy today I got to walk part of the Via Dolorosa, Way of the Cross. What a great way to end out trip.
It started off going to the “upper room” where Jesus and his disciples are said to have had the last supper. While climbing up the stairs I made a friend, Hannah, a cute six year old girl whose family had joined us on this last day. I helped her up the stairs by holding her hand and talking to her. She pretty much didn’t let go, unless I went to the bathroom, for the rest of the day.
We went through a lot of the same streets we were on yesterday. Our next stop was the burnt house, which gave a good idea of what the destruction/burning of the temple/Jerusalem would have been like. From there we went to the temple institute where people are making the things necessary to institute temple worship for the “3rd Temple”. It is pretty impressive, but sad. We are the temple, we don’t need a man made temple…
From there we had time to eat. In my case, shop; I had forgotten to get my kids from Mexico. I went to the bathroom and separated from my little Hannah. Eileen and I went to the Armenian quarter and bought all kinds of things. I felt at home, knowing the streets, and even some of the vendors from yesterday. After buying everything I needed we had ten minutes left so I grabbed a bagel with egg salad.. It was surprisingly, my first time eating a bagel while in Jerusalem..
We walked/waited in line to enter the temple mount while I ate my sandwich. J The temple mount was beautiful, but sad. The pictures show the beauty. The sad things:
Jews will not go where the temple used to be because they feel they are defiled.
There are blasphemies against Jesus written on the Dome of the Rock
There is false religion dominating this place, the most “holy place” in the Holy Land.
From there we went through the Muslim Quarter and then to the Pool of Bethseda where jesus haled the lame! How awesome to stand where Jesus performed a miracle. There also was a church where I got to hear some Korean brothers sing to the Lord. Kevin lead us in Amazing Grace. J
From there we went to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre--sad place. So much “darkness” as Hannah said so well, and tradition, and sadness, rosary beads, repetition, death, hopelessness. What a difference at the garden Tomb our last stop… While the there was sadness there was also overwhelming hope.
We left Jerusalem singing in Christ Alone…
I bought everyone I needed to something, did everything I wanted to do, except eat Chinese food. And lo and behold what was served at the buffet we went to: Chinese Food! We had a great final hour at the restaurant, laughing dancing giving each other back rubs.
Oh, but of course the good times didn’t stop at the airport. Well, not soo good as drama filled. I had put something in Frank’s bag, he knew I was doing it, but didn’t know what I was putting in there… Well, when they ask him if he packed that, and said no they started freaking out. Frank remembered it as mine; security came to get me, and everything was cleared up. Apparently, if Frank hadn’t remembered who put it there thev would have had to clear the airport!
I am now out of Israel. What a blessing it has been to travel in this land and meet some of the people in it. What an amazing God I serve. God, thank you for your goodness, please show me more of You and bring to mind all the things you have allowed me to see here.
