Mk. 11:12-14,20-24;13:28-31, Seeing Jesus in Israel Today (8)

Here is the conclusion of our time at the Garden.

o   Then we had a brief study of “the fig tree,” a topic that had come up a couple of times on our trip together.  In Jesus’ three references to the “fig tree” He uses it symbolically of Israel.

§  Mark 11:12-14: Jesus cursed a fig tree that did not bear fruit at a time when it was not the season for fruit.  We noted that in this incident we have the two great aspects that we struggle to put together: the culpability of Israel to bear fruit to God’s glory, and the plan of God to use Israel’s rejection to bring salvation to the nations.

§  Mark 11:20;24: When they returned the next day, the disciples noted the tree had already withered.  Jesus used this to teach His disciples about “faith.”  What did this have to do with faith?  If the tree speaks of Israel, Jesus is saying that Israel will wither.  The withered tree will never be able to bear fruit.  But wait!

§  Lev. 26:44 and many other places in the OT and in Romans 11 and Heb. 6: what about God’s promise that He would never cast away Israel?  That is Jesus’ teaching about faith.  We often get hung up on moving a mountain with faith.   I have heard and read teaching on this, but none of the teachers I have ever heard or read claimed to have the faith to move an actual mountain.  The context of the “fig tree” tells me Jesus is encouraging His disciples, and us, about the faithfulness of God to Israel.  The tree is withered but it will some day bear fruit for God’s glory.  How?

§  Ezek. 37:1-14: It will take a resurrection!  To speak of this at the Garden Tomb is special.  Christ was resurrected.  Because He is the “firstfruit” we also will be raised.  But also, Israel will be resurrected.  That is the point of the “valley of dry bones.”  A day will come, and it has not yet come, when Israel will be resurrected.  As God told Ezekiel, it will require the preaching of the gospel and the New Covenant, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit so that Israel will have the true life of Christ.

§  Mark 13:28-31: That is why Jesus, later in the Passion Week, would tell His disciples that a time would come when there would begin to be leaves on the tree.  We want to encourage you with this truth as well.  God is faithful and will keep His word.  “Heaven and earth will pass away but My word will not pass away.”

Early 1900s photo of Skull Hill area used by guide

Our guide at the Garden

Several precious friends at the Garden including John and Ruth

Our group coming from the tomb

One final adventure for our granddaughter (rt) and her friend; they got stuck on the elevator as they were departing the hotel for the airport

John 19:17-42, Seeing Jesus in Israel Today (7)

After the worship service we took the bus (it’s Shabbat but the Arab bus line is running) to Damascus Gate area.  We loaded up on some fresh juice to tide us over until our early evening meal, and then headed for the Garden Tomb.

·       The Garden Tomb.

o   First we were blessed by a tour from a volunteer from Australia.  He gave an excellent presentation.  From the years Cindy and I volunteered there we saw many changes in the layout of things, making it easier to accommodate the large number of visitors.  The day we were there they had nearly 2000 people come throughout the day.  What a blessing to be there again.  As always, the tour given by the GT guide emphasizes the gospel, the cross at the Skull Hill viewing area and the resurrection near the tomb.  Following the presentation we were able to go into the tomb, 8 at a time. 

o   Then we were provided a place for worship, including a time of communion.  What a blessing to join together at the Lord’s Table after having spend 15 days together as a group.  We sang together.  (We still have a dozen or so copies of a “Garden Tomb Songbook” that we used to make available to groups.  These were being phased out so we were able to get several that we have used over the years.) 

o   Then we review our list of “where” the Bible says Jesus was crucified and “what” the Bible said about the tomb of Jesus.  “Geography” may not be important to you but the geography of the Bible is important just because it’s in the Bible.  And even more so, because our great and mighty God made a geographical move from Heaven to Earth, to a real place in a real time, and that is critical.  Whatever the Bible says about where Christ was crucified and what the tomb was like is important! Here is the list in pictorial form.  I encourage you to consider the passages associated with this.

Rev. 9:1-12, Seeing Jesus in Israel Today (6)

Yesterday’s Israeli guide and driver for Jericho and Bethlehem came in quite handy today.  This report is from Saturday which, of course, is Shabbat.  That means that the “prime location” of our hotel, near Central Bus Station in Jerusalem, was of no effect.  That means nothing around us was open, and that included the buses and light rail that we used the other days to get around Jerusalem.  So the driver offered, for a good price, to pick us up and take us to the church we wanted to attend, and then at the end of the day, to pick us up after our early dinner and bring us back to the hotel.  When we didn’t get an answer from the driver on WhatsApp at the end of the day I called our guide from the previous day and he was able to contact him to make sure we were on track. 

Here are the events of the day.

·       We attended the worship service at Jerusalem Assembly/The House of Redemption that is in the Talpiot neighborhood of Jerusalem (southern part of town).  This is “traditional” for the times we have brought friends to Israel.  We love the music which, on the screen, is given in Hebrew, Anglicized sound of the Hebrew words so we can sing with the rest of the people, and English (so we know what we are saying to the Lord as we worship).  We love the ministry of the word also.  It is done in Hebrew by the pastor, Meno Kalisher, and then translated into English from the pulpit by another man.  There are always 2 parts to this ministry.

o   There is a lesson on the “Torah Portion” of the week.  This is what is being read in the Synagogue and by Jewish people in their homes.  Today’s reading began in Ex. 25, with the listing of the items given in the offering for the tabernacle.  We were reminded how the wooden items in the tabernacle came from Acacia trees (that’s what was available in the desert), which is not a particularly useful wood for making things.  Yet, that is what was used, and was then covered with gold, a reminder that God uses the humble and makes their meagre service to bring Him great glory.  We were reminded how God had provided great wealth for Israel when they left Egypt, and how these things, used in building the Tabernacle, all spoke of Christ.  Pastor Joe with our group had mentioned in devotions one morning that in every Bible passage you should ask 2 questions: What does it say about God; and how does it lead to the gospel?  What Pastor Meno did with the Torah Portion was to show how Christ and the gospel are mentioned even in such a passage as a listing of the items given by the people in their offering for the Tabernacle.

o   The other part of the “ministry of the Word” involved teaching on Rev. 9:1-12, the fifth trumpet judgment.  The teaching is very clear at Jerusalem Assembly.  The first point the pastor made was to remind us that the Bible is not designed to “hide” truth but to “reveal” truth.  Many come to Revelation and conclude that it is impossible to figure out.  But, as Meno mentioned, the Old Testament provides an explanative glossary of the terms used in Revelation.  Amen to that! 

We will conclude our coverage of Saturday’s activities in the next post.  Meanwhile, here are just a few pictures.

Pastor Joe from Billings, Pastor Meno from Jerusalem Assembly, and myself

Our group at Jericho with our guide and driver for the day

Our group at the bus stop after church

Evening walk on David's Harp Bridge near our hotel

Psalm 105

How I love this Psalm!  It is one of the grandest illustrations of the principle of Hermeneutics (how to interpret the Bible) that says the best interpreter of Scripture is Scripture.  When studying Genesis 12-50 I found this Psalm to be of inestimable value.  Consider this as you read and study this historical Hymn.

·         105:1-6: Call to the people of Abraham to praise God for His works/deeds.

·         105:7-8: The theme: God remembers His covenant forever.

·         105:9-15: The covenant in mind is the one God made with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Israel.  It is what is commonly called the Palestinian Covenant, the promise of the land of Canaan to Abraham’s descendants. To emphasize God’s faithfulness we are reminded this covenant was made when they were few in number and were strangers in the land.  But even at that time God was protecting His anointed ones. You may remember God called Abraham a prophet (Gen. 20:7).

·         105:16-25: God’s covenant faithfulness was on-going in the days of Joseph, including His allowing Jacob to take the family to Egypt. Notice that God called for a famine in the land (v16).  That amazing story of Joseph was part of what God was doing in forming His people Israel.

·         105:26-41: God’s faithfulness was certainly evident in the time of Moses, in the plagues and in the major provisions in the wilderness.  It was God’s promise that the Israelites, without an army, would nevertheless plunder Egypt.

·         105:42-45:  All this was done as God faithfully kept His covenant with Abraham.  They eventually made it to the land and joy and gladness, inheriting the labor of the nations that had occupied Canaan.

For us there is tremendous application.  The New Testament says, For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. Psalm 105 is about Israel.  But it declares the faithfulness of God, who is our God as well, and who has established His covenant with believers. 

This is how we use the Old Testament.  We interpret it properly; in this case it is about the history of Israel.  But we also apply it energetically!  It was written for us that we might have hope.  And this is an amazing message of hope.  We are reminded that as with Israel, so God is using the events of our lives to bring us into the likeness of Christ.  We are reminded that God never fails to keep His word.  Even if we are small or few in number we can trust God! 

Let us also give thanks to the Lord!  Let us call upon His name!

Luke 19:1-11, Seeing Jesus in Israel Today (5)

Today was a bit different for us.  We actually had enough money in the pot to hire a guide and driver to take us to Jericho and Bethlehem.  We have been unable to get to these places in the past because we were not able to take the rental vehicles with Israeli license plates into these West Bank cities. 

Going into Bethlehem meant a visit to the Shepherd’s Fields, the Church of the Nativity and to the home of our friend from the Garden Tomb, Fadi Alzoughbi.  The “fields” have caves that might have been used by shepherds for warmth and comfort in their 24-hour a day job.  But more, there is a connection with the Messianic prophecy of Micah 4:9 (see also the more well-known one in Micah 5:2) that says that the announcement of Messiah would first come to the “tower of the flock.”  We were also reminded that almost certainly the sheep being cared for around Bethlehem were for the sacrifices in nearby Jerusalem.

We did not stand in the long line to get into the traditional spot where Jesus was born.  Honestly, knowing we were in the vicinity is sufficient on that matter.  Part of the significance of this church is that Jerome translated the Bible into Latin at this location.  His translation is the basis of the official Catholic version. 

As for the visit with our friends, we enjoyed a wonderful time of worship, including singing with our group members and friends Doris McCoy playing the keyboard and Tim Gregory the guitar.  Fadi’s dad, Issa, who started their church, shared a brief sermon from the Word of God to encourage us.  Fadi’s mom blessed us with a wonderful cake and drinks before we were on our way.  We also delivered some large print Bibles Fadi had asked us to bring which was a blessing for us.

In Jericho, we stopped briefly for photos at the sycamore tree in the middle of town (see Lk. 19).  Then we went to Tel Jericho (Joshua 5) where the question was, “Is there evidence of crumbling walls in Jericho’s past?”  The answer was, YES!  We also took the cable car to the Mount of Temptation, primarily for the views of the area.  I happen to like Jericho, the oldest city in the world, “the City of Palms.”  I should probably admit, as well, that the guide we had arranged for us to have a meal of makluba and kebabs at, of all places, the “Temptation Restaurant.”  I believe many of us would admit to succumbing to the temptation.

We should just remind ourselves.  We do not need confirmation of the truth of the Bible.  It is sufficient that God Himself says it is His word (Thus says the LORD).  We don’t need to see these things to strengthen our faith, because after all, as Jesus told Thomas, the blessing is on those who did not see and yet believed (Jn. 20:29).  We do rejoice in being in these places where the Bible comes alive.  It comes alive because the geography is fundamental to the Bible’s message.  Occasionally, what we see might even help us to understand better the event that took place in that location.  To that end we are thankful to be here.

Orthodox Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem

Not big on RCC Saints but here's Jerome, translated Bible into Latin, todays Catholic version

And St George, patron saint of England, born in Lod, Israel (Biblical Lydda), killed a dragon.

Famous Stars & Bucks coffee shop, apparently with fruit juices too

This boy in the bus station at Bethlehem was happy to see Joe's parents, Dan & Peggy

Sycamore tree in Jericho.

You're not going to control your weight if you keep eating here.

The tram to the Mt of Temptation

Monastery on the Mt of Temptation

Acts 2:1-13, Seeing Jesus in Israel Today (4)

We are continuing out walking around Jerusalem from yesterday.

·       Entering at the Lion/St. Stephen’s Gate we were again on the Via Dolorosa, winding our way up to the Hyrva Synagogue area for lunch. 

o   Along the way we walk the Cardo, the market street in Jesus’ time, where they have found deep down the stones from the path of Jesus’ day.

o   From there we continued to the Zion Gate (with its pock marks from the fierce battles in 1948 when the Jews were expelled and 1967 when the Jews returned to their Quarter).

o   In that are went into the Upper Room for a time of quiet singing of praise to our Lord and Savior.  This is where Jesus dined with His disciples and encouraged them with “great and precious promises.”  It is also where 120 believers received the Spirit on the day the Church of Jesus Christ was born.

o   We also stopped at David’s Tomb.

o   We were unable to enter the Church of the Dormition, the burial place of Mary the mother of Jesus.  By the way, on the Mount of Olives we were near the place where Mary ascended to heaven, having never died, according to Catholic theology.  Perhaps you can figure out why Mary needed a burial place if she never died.  Maybe you can figure out how Mary was sinless and a Savior for us, in addition to her Son.  I mention this so you know that when you are around Jerusalem you are also in the midst of man’s religion.  Don’t let anyone tell you it is syncretized with the true religion.  When any lie is added to the truth it is no longer the truth!

o   We had a brief time to do some shopping in some Armenian shops near Zion Gate.  We have felt like their prices were some of the best in the Old City.

·       We then returned to the area of the Western Wall.

o   We went into the Davidson Archaeological center where is the pile of rocks that shows the truth of Jesus’ words that not one stone of the temple would be left upon another after the destruction by Rome.  There are also the steps of the temple on which it is believed Peter preached the sermon on the Day of Pentecost.  And there are many mikveh’s (baptism pools) that have been discovered, telling us how thousands of people were baptized on that day when the Church of Jesus Christ had its beginning.

o   We also did the tour of the Western Wall Tunnels, a guided tour that tells about the building of the wall.  (We might skip this the next time; interesting but not essential to aching feet. 😊)

o   We then enjoyed a wonderful “family style” dinner at the Armenian Restaurant that is across from the Austrian Hospice in the Muslim Quarter.  Being Thursday the Arab eating places there were closed for their holy day.

With that, we returned to our hotel for a needed night of rest.  And for even more needed time to reflect.  The story of the Incarnation, every aspect of it, happened, truly in a real place and real time in history.  This is fundamental to Christianity.

Entering the Cardo area.

Jewish Quarter

Hyrva Synagogue in background

Dinner at Armenian Restaurant

John 18:1-11, Seeing Jesus in Israel Today (3)

I suppose you could say we hit the “motherlode of sites” with respect to Jesus.  Let me list these things, without Scripture references.  Most are familiar stories.  This will take 2 posts.

·       We were on the Mount of Olives, where Jesus often spent time. 

o   At this point we catch a bus from the Arab station that sits in front of Skull Hill.  It’s our first view and we will get a better view on Saturday, Lord willing. 

o   On the bus to the top we first go left into the area of Bethphage where Jesus sent disciples to get the donkey for the ride into Jerusalem. 

o   Then we headed south and get off at the Church of the Ascension where we were given a very good explanation as to why this spot made sense as the place spoken of in Luke and Acts as where Jesus ascended. 

o   Then we walked over to the viewpoint where we could see where the road from Jerusalem to Bethany would have run.  In the “Passion Week” each night we are told that Jesus went to Bethany and then returned in the morning.  Among other things, along this road Jesus used a fig tree to speak of Israel.

o   Then we walked down the traditional road of the Triumphal Entry.

o   At the bottom of the hill is the olive grove that, while not likely the exact spot, still reminds us of the place of Jesus pleadings with His Father in Gethsemane.

·       We then crossed the Kidron.  What an amazing place.

o   The Kidron Valley was where Asa, Hezekiah and Josiah tossed the broken idols and altars and so forth when they cleansed Jerusalem of idolatry.

o   There King David, fleeing from Absalom, had crossed, weeping as he went.  And there also David returned after the defeat and death of Absalom.

o   There Jesus had crossed with His disciples, in great sorrowness of heart, after the meal in the Upper Room.  And there Jesus returned on the same path, under arrest, heading to the house of Caiaphas.

o   Coming up the other side of the Kidron we stopped and talked about the Kings Valley (lower section of Kidron around City of David) where Melchizedek met Abram on his return from retrieving Lot.

o   Then we walked through the Muslim Cemetery on the walkway that takes you underneath the Eastern Gate through which the Messiah will someday return.

More in the next post.

Bus Station at Skull Hill

On the bus for the Mount of Olives

Church of the Ascension

Gethsemane

Depiction of Christ in Gethsemane

Monuments in the Kings Valley

Eastern Gate from the Muslim Cemetery

Matt. 4:18-22, Jesus Makes Us Fishers of Men

Like most Christian tour groups in Israel we sailed the Sea of Galilee on a “Jesus Boat.”  It’s a replica of an ancient boat found in the mud on an occasion when the lake was low, a boat that went back nearly to the time of Christ.  It seems authentic.

We had the boat to ourselves in this case, for an hour.  Besides hearing the music and being led in music by the owner of the boat, a Messianic Jew named Daniel Carmel, one of our group members also shared.  Tim Gregory has worked with the Navigators in the Billings area for many years.  He has become a treasured friend, not only of our son in Billings but our whole family.  Tim and his precious wife Lisa and girls have joined our family for our annual campout and also entertained us in their home at Thanksgiving the last two years after our son had moved to Costa Rica.

Tim chose a passage that he told me was what I should expect from him.  It was his immediate thought when he knew we would be on the boat.  It was Jesus’ words to the disciples He called along the Sea of Galilee: Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.

Tim reminded us, and I hope you will pause to think on this as well, of the setting of the story, the words Jesus said, and of the way they immediately left everything to follow Christ. 

Sunrise on the Sea of Galilee.

We had the boat to ourselves.

John 10:1-11, Christ Came to Bring Abundant Life

Our son Ron shared at the worship service at Gideon’s Spring.  This is one of my favorite spots.  It was a place we didn’t discover until we have been going to Israel for several years.  For me it is a very “pastoral” setting, a place of quiet beauty and I considered to be a special place for our group to worship the Lord together.  And it was that in my view.  I enjoyed the worship.  But if you were to ask the group, the one thing they might say stood out for them were the swarming gnats that made it difficult to concentrate.  You could say there was an “abundance” of distractions.

Nevertheless our son handled it quite well.  After singing several choruses and hymns he read from John 10 and spoke of the abundance of Christ.  One thing I really appreciated about the message was the use of other passages, particularly Psalm 23, to describe this abundant life.  I do know that our son and daughter-in-law have been learning this in their own lives, having left his attorney business in Montana for ministry in Costa Rica.  In that light this message was coming from personal experience. 

I encourage you to meditate on Psalm 23 in this light, as a description of the life we have in Christ, and that we have this life in abundance.  (We happened to think to do a Facebook Live presentation of this on our FB page, Feb. 19, 2023.  You can hear the message and see the dealing with the pesky bugs.)

The right and wrong way for a soldier to remain prepared while he refreshes himself at Gideon's Spring (the Well of Harod)

Gen. 21:8-21, God Loves the Outcast

Modern day Beersheba from Tel Beersheba

As we have been travelling around Israel we have had several from our group share from God’s Word.  Pastor Joe from Billings has shared a devotional thought each morning, usually reading a passage related to one of our stops for the day.  Then two of my sons shared messages at worship services on the Lord’s Day and another friend shared with us on the Sea of Galilee.  In the next three blogs I want to share with you a synopsis of what they shared along with some photos.

Sunday Feb. 12 Steve Youde shared God’s word at Beersheba.  While he was permitted to share anything the Lord laid on his heart, I assumed he would tie it to where we were at the time and such was the case.  He talked about “outcasts” and how much God loved them.  His prime illustration was Hagar, who is one of the greatest illustrations of an “outcast” in the Bible (Gal. 4:21-31).  Though she was cast out with the approval of God, she was also deeply loved by God as Gen. 16 and today’s passage make clear.

Steve also shared from a passage that I know to be very important to him, the story of the Prodigal Son from Luke 15.  He had referred to this story in his devotional to his family this past Christmas and I have heard him refer to is on other occasions.  He reminded us that God, as pictured in the father of the prodigal, not only loved the rebellious younger son; He also loved the arrogant older son and invited him to the celebration. 

There is an issue for us here.  In what is often a “politically” driven mentality in our society we tend to “cast people out” because of their terrible politics.  We need to remember God’s love for the outcast because we are called to be holy as our Father in heaven is holy!  And lest we forget, we were all outcasts from birth.

Psalm 104

We are in a section of the Psalms where the worthiness of God to receive praise is derived from the world around us, both in creation and history.  If you desire to praise God for His attributes clearly seen in creation (Rom. 1:20) so you can glorify and thank Him for His goodness (Rom. 1:21) Psalm 104 is for you.  When Paul told the Athenians God gives life, breath, and all things to mankind (Acts 17:25) this is what he was talking about. Paul must have had Psalm 104 in mind when he told the idolaters of Lystra that God did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness (Acts 14:17).  We all see the truth of this Psalm daily.  Consider the contents of this great Hymn!

·         104:1-2: Bless the Lord, the great Creator.  He stretched out the heavens (v2), a phrase that may speak of the expansion of the universe. This phrase appears 17 times in the Old Testament.

·         104:3-9: He is the Creator …

o   Of the heavens (v3-4).  Note that He is sovereign, and uses the heavens and heavenly beings for His purposes.

o   Of the earth (v5-9).  This paragraph has in mind Gen. 1 where the waters were above and on the earth and Gen. 6 when the heavens filled the valleys and covered the mountains.

·         104:10-26: He is the Sustainer …

o   Refreshing the earth with springs (v10-12) and rain (v13).

o   Causing the earth to produce all that is needed for man’s enjoyment and the needs of all living beings (v14-18).

o   Appointing the sun and moon so that there would be both seasons and day/night for the earth to be the perfect place to sustain life (v19-23).

o   Providing all the blessings that come from the oceans both with what grows there and how it enables man to move about and share the abundant resources from near and distant shores (v24-26).

§  In v24 such things as the law of gravity or laws of the harvest and all laws of nature are God’s creative wisdom.  It works and keeps on working because of His wisdom.

§  In v26 Leviathan is a large sea creature, perhaps dragon-like or similar to a crocodile or the extinct plesiosaurus.

·         104:27-30: Everything waits for God, i.e. depends on Him from day to day.

·         104:31-32: May all He has made bring Him glory, joy and reverent worship.

·         104:33-35: As one of His works I will praise Him as long as I have the life He has given me.  And my prayers is that those who refuse to so honor Him be consumed from the earth.

Bless the Lord, O my soul!  Praise the Lord!!!