Experiencing Israel

Shalom and blessings from us here in Jerusalem! We are all doing well, enjoying the food, culture and teachings. Our hotel overlooks Old Jerusalem and as Savannah and I write this, we hear the call to prayer from the Muslim mosque.  Today was spent literally "experiencing" Israel." We were to listen, look, smell, taste, watch and absorb the culture. As we drove around Jerusalem, we noticed a burial site on a hillside. We entered the Old City through the Dung Gate on the way up to the Temple Mount. We could not take our Bibles in, and were in awe as we walked through the streets. Ronen taught us seven stories from Abraham and Mt. Moriah to present day Dome of the Rock. There is definitely a 'clash of theology' being handed down generation to generation: light versus darkness, peace versus chaos, truth versus a lie. Both stories begin with Abraham but Islam replaces Isaac with Ishamel.  

We came off the Temple Mount and made our way down to the Western Wall or Wailing Wall. Here at the wall, it is divided into two sides, one each for men and women. We were blessed to be here on a Thursday. Why? We learned that Thursday is a day when they take the Torah scrolls out of the Torah closet and bring them here to the wall. On this day many boys celebrate their bar mitzvah. There was singing, music, dancing and sounds of great joy in the air. We were able to watch a boy carry the Torah scroll. I (Savannah) could see the boy struggling to carry the weight of the scroll as an older man assisted him, maybe a rabbi. Today God showed me the weight of his Word; I literally saw this boy straining just to hold it. He was feeling the full weight of the Words of God, literally.  However, I also saw he had someone older helping him. The older man did not carry most or even half the weight. He carried just enough to keep the boy from stumbling.. Friends, my prayer is that we will all begin to have new eyes for the weightiness that comes with handling God's Word. Be of good courage! Just like that boy had an older man helping him, we have been given the Holy Spirit to help us handle his word correctly.  

To hear the shofar blown and the great rejoicing in the streets reminded me (Bev)  that one day soon the trumpet of God will sound and we'll be gathered home to even greater rejoicing. From there saw a current dig site of a 6000 sq. ft. home with multiple rooms.  Who lived here?  It had many Roman or Hellenistic characteristics and obviously belonged to someone very rich. However, they also found mikvah baths and common Jewish tools indicate that this could have been the home of a Sadducee. Saducees were the ones who ran the temple. Corruption had definitely entered the picture. They had seen the way that the Romans lived which led to a lust for more.

For lunch we had an Israeli picnic! We traveled back in time and had no utensils to use besides our hands. There was an Israeli bagel served with different sides to dip it in such as goat cheese, date syrup over sour cream, olive oil with herbs, and some type of chocolate spread like Nutella for dessert.

We ended the day at the Yad Vashem Museum which was a remembrance and name for the Holocaust victims (Isaiah 56:5). It was a somber reminder that history can repeat itself if we don't tell the next generation. It is also a call to stand for and with the Jews. This call is so much bigger than just standing with them. I (Savannah) can say I am for something or someone with my lips, but if I sit silent when they are persecuted then I am just as guilty as the one persecuting. Remember the Holocaust, remember God's love for these people, remember to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. 

More tomorrow... Keep reading!

Savannah and Beverly