Day 08 - Art Exhibit, Kirbet Qeyafa, Mount of Olives, Gethsemane

Shalom from Jerusalem! It’s our last day in the land (at least all together).

We started off at the Notre Dame of Jerusalem Center to see an unbelievable art exhibit by the Chilean artist Daniel Cariola.

The work depicts the moment the Holy Spirit descended upon the believers at Pentecost. But it’s not just a single painting. It’s a full canvas-paneled room so that every wall and even the ceiling brings you into that moment.

He depicts the disciples, Mary Magdalene, the Samaritan woman, Jairus and his daughter, and others that encountered Jesus in the gospels.

The Bible tells us that there were 120 believers at that point and, upon receiving the Holy Spirit, Peter got up to preach. As a result, another 3,000 came to know and follow Jesus that day.

What’s interesting is that Cariola only depicts 119 people in his immersive masterpiece.

You are invited into the story - to be the 120th. The question, then, is will we take up that spot? Will we receive the Holy Spirit and, by His power, join God’s mission to expand His kingdom throughout the world?

That’s the beautiful thing about beautiful art. It compels us to move from observers to participants.

Our next stop was Khirbet Qeiyafa - the location of biblical Sha’arayim.

It’s an incredible site, but one that is rarely visited because it’s off the beaten path and difficult for buses to get to (unless you have a driver like Meir - the best in all of Israel). 

The best archaeological evidence indicates that Sha’arayim was built during the time of David. It’s also situated just across from Tel Azekah and the Valley of Elah, where the David and Goliath story took place. It wasn’t uncommon for kings to build memorial cities at the place of their greatest victories so, perhaps, Sha’arayim was that for David.

The story of David and Goliath is, of course, a familiar one.

The Israelites are fighting the Philistines, who have sent out their champion, Goliath. Saul is falling to lead and his men are failing to fight. Then David shows up - this young shepherd boy - and says that he’ll do it. He’ll face the giant. So, they try to put him in armor (it’s too heavy) and arm him with a sword (it’s too heavy).

David goes out to battle Goliath in his ordinary shepherd's clothes with nothing but a sling.

As a shepherd, David basically had a staff and a sling to protect himself and his sheep against predators. Suffice it to say, David was really good with a sling.

There’s a lot we could draw out from the story, but it’s worth noticing that David didn’t try to be something he’s not. He didn’t masquerade as though he has skills he didn’t have. He was good with a sling, so he went out with a sling and he out went with God.

God has given you gifts and abilities. You’ve developed skills. You’ve had unique experiences. You have a specific personality.

How can you use who you are and what you can do to go with God and be part of what He wants to accomplish in this world?

By the way, that might seem like a strange story to do on the last day - but this trip was called “Stand with Israel,” which is exactly what David did. He stood with and for his people and with and for his God.

We stopped briefly at the Israeli Parliament building and Ronen gave us a brief history and explanation of the governmental system here.

We closed out our day at Gethsemane.

The Bible, interestingly, makes no mention of a “garden” of Gethsemane. A “gethsemane” is actually our English version of a compound Hebrew word.

“Shemen” means olive. “Gat” means press. Put them together and you get “gatshemen,” or an olive press. So, Jesus was praying at or near a gatshemen.

It is here (or around here) on the Mount of Olives (where you’d expect to find a gatshemen) that Jesus prayed the night before He was crucified.

First, as we overlooked the Temple Mount, in the midst of a region riddled with conflict, a Muslim groundskeeper, a Jewish tour guide, and a group of Christians tourists worked together to plant an olive tree.

Planting a tree in Israel carries a lot of symbolic significance. It represents hope for the future. It’s the promise of new life. It’s intended to be a legacy.  It was a sweet moment.

We then took the Lord’s Supper together near where our Savior spent the final moments before His arrest, trial, and crucifixion.

It’s a powerful place. There is joy and celebration that our God loves us so deeply that He’d lay down His life for us. There’s also a somberness and even grief that He had to.

It was just the right way to end our journey through the land - by remembering why we’re here in the first place. It’s what Jesus has done for us and in us and through us that brings us together and draws us to this place.

To the friends that I got to be with again and to the friends I made along the way, it was a joy and an honor to be here with you. Let me leave you with a blessing from Scripture.

“May the Lord bless you

    and protect you.

May the Lord smile on you

    and be gracious to you.

May the Lord show you his favor

    and give you his peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26, NLT)