The Ascent

Like Jesus and His disciples 2,000 years ago, today we headed out from the Galilee region and "went up to Jerusalem." Though directionally, Jerusalem sits south of Galilee, in terms of altitude, this statement perfectly describes the journey to Jerusalem. Along the way we stopped off to see Scythopolis, a major Greco-Roman city similar to Caesarea Maritima that attracted folks from all over with its bustling commerce and ease of life. After Scythopolis, our travels brought us to the Jordan River at the location where John the Baptist likely baptized Jesus and his other followers. It was likely also the place where Joshua led the Israelites across the river into the promised land. Our route also included a detour to Qumran where the Dead Sea scrolls were accidentally found by a Bedouin shepherd. As the sun sank toward the horizon, we made the ascent from the Dead Sea (lowest point on earth) up to Jerusalem which sits at the highest point in the region.

Maybe even more so than Caesarea, the ruins of Scythopolis vividly painted the picture of a city who gloried in its opulence, ease of life and openness to all forms of idol worship. That is until a massive earthquake (whose epicenter rippled out from the heart of the city) literally rocked the city to its core, leaving it in ruins never to be rebuilt. God seems to have made it clear what happens to civilizations who want to go their own way.

Like Jesus and so many others in His day, six of our own group members chose to follow Jesus right into the waters of the Jordan today to get baptized. Though they likely were not doves, some white birds even graced us with their presence near the river.

In addition to learning much about the finding of the Dead Sea Scrolls, Qumran afforded an opportunity to pray together as a group. What a powerful place to gather together and agree in prayer. We then spread out across the mountainside overlooking the Dead Sea to individually seek God in the desert for the last time before we made the ascent to Jerusalem.

For Jews and eventually Christians in Biblical times and beyond, there is something special about "going up to Jerusalem." Metaphorically, the ascent to Jerusalem represented a simultaneous spiritual ascent toward God. As our bus plodded up the slopes on the way to the largest and most disputed city in Israel, we listened to a modern musical rendition of one of the Songs of Ascent from the book of Psalms which were sung by Jews on their way up to meet with God. After tracking the travels of the ark of the covenant into and around the promised land, God's special meetings with His prophets in the desert, and His incarnation in Jesus who walked the Galilee region, we now follow "the presence of the Lord" up to God's chosen city. As they say around here: all roads lead to Jerusalem.

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