Luke 9:18-26, 51-53, Up to Jerusalem

Tuesday, Feb. 18 is the day to go on up to Jerusalem.  Our route is from Gidona, near the Gideon Spring, in the Harod Valley, just east off the Valley of Jezreel.  In the vicinity of Beit Shean is an Israeli National Park called “Gan HaShlosha.”  We were in a hurry to get to Jerusalem so we didn’t stop.  Turns out it’s a beautiful park area, and some people consider it the location of the Garden of Eden.  It is not far from the location of the city of “Adam” (Josh 3:16).  We will have to stop next time.
We took the “back way” into Ancient Shilo, meaning we were able to see scenery we had not seen.  Israel has been so green.  The rainy season (Dec-Feb) has been exceptionally rainy.  The Sea of Galilee if the highest it has been for 7 years.  Water levels are up all over Israel.  This is truly a blessing from the Lord.  Oh that people would praise Him through Israel’s Messiah Yeshua/Jesus.
Shilo has a new feature (it was there in October for our last trip), using a hologram presentation of the Tabernacle.  So we included that as well as the usual, well-done presentation of the place, well done in terms of technique.  Their retelling the story of Shilo uses “poetic license” of “tradition license” in filling in the stories and sometimes omits what I consider to be important aspects of the Biblical story.  For example, in the part where Joshua encourages the seven tribes to go out and take their territories he does not say the one word of encouragement the Bible emphasizes, which is that God will be with you and will help you to take your land.
We stopped at Bethel, which is a great spot.  In the OT only Jerusalem is mentioned more than Bethel, in terms of the cities of Israel.  It is important.  That is why several years ago Bibi (Benjamin Netanyahu) told then Sec. of State John Kerry, that in any peace treaty with the Palestinians, Bethel must remain under Israeli control.
Because we went to Mt. Gerazim last Thursday on our way north, it was not on our schedule like it usually is on the “up to Jerusalem” day.  Thus we were able to use the van for some things in Jerusalem before having to return it in the evening.  One of those things was a trip to Mt. Scopus for the view of Jerusalem.  Mt. Scopus was the mountain the Jews could access to see the area of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount when the Romans banned Jews from Jerusalem after 70AD.  There is a great view, although when we arrived the sun wasn’t quite right and it was very hazy.  We also went around to the South side of Jerusalem to the Haas Prominade where the view was a little sharper.  (Go to our FB page to see the pictures, RonCindy Youde.)
We went to the view point near Ramat Rachel in the southern area Jerusalem where you can see hills around Bethlehem that could have been the “shepherd’s hills” at the time of Jesus’ birth.  We went to Rachel’s tomb (Gen. 35:16-21).  Like the Cave of the Patriarchs it is a memorial tomb and there is a synagogue there as well.  One reason for going was to experience the drive between two security walls.  Gives people an opportunity to experience something very real in Israel and the Palestinian areas.
From today’s passage note the context of Jesus’ first of several times, telling the disciples they were going to Jerusalem.  If they were to follow Him there they were called to do as He did, to take up their cross.  This is the significance of “up to Jerusalem” in my view.  It is not yet going up to the place of His glorious reign.  It is going to the place where He is rejected, despised by men!