Study Tour to Israel
April 24th – May 4th 2009
Friday afternoon 24th May saw us assembling at Belfast City Airport to start the journey to Tel Aviv via Heathrow. The fact that most of us had met as a group the previous week meant that the lone travellers felt more at ease and the journey helped in the bonding process.
Tel Aviv airport at 5am was our starting point and we were immediately aware that this was going to be a whole new experience. We met our guide Nicola, got on our comfortable bus and arrived at a restaurant for breakfast to be faced by mounds of tomatoes , cucumbers and onions as well as plates of cheese. The contrast with an Ulster fry was very stark but as the meal progressed and omelettes and coffee appeared we managed to survive. Just across the road was the Mediterranean and we made our way up to Joppa with its links with Jonah and of course its association with Peter and his visit to the home of Simon the Tanner (Acts c10) Standing outside what is described as this house, we had our first experience of being on a Biblical site, reading the relevant Scripture passage and hearing Desi put it in context for us.
We then moved on to Mount Carmel. There we met David Davis, founder and senior partner of the community there. David is part of a fellowship set up by David Wilkerson in New York and the community work with addicts as well as providing a refuge for refugees from Somalia and Eritrea. Jews and Arabs work together there and in that multinational context we had the privilege of joining them in a worship service which ended with communion. All of us admitted afterwards that the lack of sleep did mean that our involvement in the service which lasted over two hours was not as full as we might have wished but we were glad to be there. One verse quoted in the service ‘May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God’ (Eph 3 v19) seemed a promise to be claimed for the trip that was just beginning.
We then went to Nazareth, not into the bustling big city but to Nazareth YMCA where they have recreated a first century village. Although a bit weary we could wander around amidst the sheep, goats and donkeys, see where the olive press and wine press would have been, admire the weaving of Hanna and see a carpenter’s workshop, such as Jesus would have worked in. Finally we went to the synagogue where Desi spoke to us about the vineyard parable in Mark 12, stressing the importance of the references to the ‘beloved and only son’…how Jewish listeners would have picked up the allusion to Isaac, the beloved only son offered up by Abraham and the play on words with ‘ben’ in Hebrew being the son and ‘eben’ the stone referred to in Psalm 118 as the stone the builders rejected which became the cornerstone. Already we could begin to see the richness in seeing Jesus’ teaching through the lens of his Jewishness and the Hebrew Scriptures.
It was interesting to note how Nazareth is now one third Jewish and two thirds Arab and to travel through Druze villages seeing the women in their distinctive white headscarves.
Finally we got to our hotel, part of a religious kibbutz. Normally it is not possible to check in during Sabbath but we left the bus at the gate and wheeled our cases in. It was good to have a shower and freshen up for our first evening meal. Because of it still being Shabbat, we encountered many Jewish families, dressed in a variety of ways and as Shabbat ended we sat in the foyer and saw the prayer ceremonies that brought this special day to its conclusion. The idea of giving out sprigs of sweet smelling herbs to those present to maintain the fragrance of the Sabbath into the coming week was very thought provoking..
9am on Sunday morning saw us on the road and gave us our first introduction to the letters of the Hebrew alphabet.We got pretty good at remembering these as the days went on. We went first to a site high over Nazareth, the precipice described in Luke c4 where Jesus read Isaiah 61 in the synagogue and then announced His fulfilment of that scripture It was so interesting when Desi explained the significance of the small changes Jesus made when quoting the passage and how the non Jewish examples of faith that He used made his listeners so angry that they wanted to throw Him from that precipice.
We had glorious views of the Jezreel Valley where so many mighty battles have been fought and where it is prophesied the battle of Armageddon will take place..
We then went to Zippori,(Sepphoris) the beautiful Roman city which was only about an hour’s walk for Jesus from Nazareth. Desi explained to us that the restoration of this city which took place in the time of Herod Antipas would have drawn skilled workmen such as tektons able to work in wood, stone and metal and it is possible that Jesus could have worked here. We admired the mosaics, visited the Synagogue and realised that even if Jesus never went to the theatre in Zippori, he knew about ‘hypocrites’ or actors and this helps us to understand his use of this word in his teaching.
In the afternoon after lunch which I think we had at a modern shrine MacDonalds, we went to a Jewish settlement where we had the privilege of meeting Dr Faydra Shapiro ; who spoke to us of her experience of ‘making aliyah’; returning to Israel, the journey which she , her husband and five children had made just eight months before. Her love of Israel was passionate and her efforts to make us feel welcome were much appreciated. We walked around the settlement, visited the synagogue and then had the opportunity to meet Yitzhak, a founder member of the settlement ; a farmer involved in olive oil production. He described the process as well as telling us about the seven species described in Deuteronomy 8 v7-8. After his talk we had an opportunity to buy olive oil and other products and it was lovely to have Faydra share our evening meal in the hotel.
The next morning we needed an early alarm call as we headed off before 8am. After a short bus journey we climbed up to Arbel to get an excellent, if rather misty, view of the Sea of Galilee. We had an opportunity to reflect on the history and the geology of this area but it was then particularly fascinating to hear Desi explain why in some instances Jesus told those He healed to tell others while on other occasions He told them not to tell. Desi asked us to imagine a diagonal line drawn between Tiberias to Caesarea Phillipi. North of that line was a strong Jewish population who had all the political baggage of believing that the Messiah would come and they would be liberated from the yoke of Rome. They saw Jesus’ life and ministry in this political context. South of that line was the area of the Decapolis – a Gentile area where the Greek influence was strong. Here were no misunderstandings about Messiah and an openness to consider His claims. Desi went on to talk to us about the structure of Mark’s gospel- chapters 1-7 describing His ministry in Galilee, chapters 8-10 describing the journey to Jerusalem and the three ‘Son of Man’ sayings with the final chapters about all that happened to Jesus in Jerusalem.
Just before heading off again we had an ice-cream and Desi’s attention was drawn to the dry stone walling around the Arbel centre. It led him to talk about IPeter 2 and to remind us that we are living stones that God is building into a spiritual temple. God lived in a tent when His people were in tents and then His presence was found in the Temple that was built. Now He dwells in us, the living stones, through His Spirit.
We moved on to the Mount of the Beatitudes, bypassing the church complex there and walking down the hillside. When we found an appropriate place we sat down and just like the disciples were taught by Jesus the twelve of us listened to Desi teaching us about the Beatitudes as we gazed down at the Sea of Galilee in front of us. What struck me here was the reminder that the word blessed is in the present tense and so the promise each time may suggest the future in its form but in fact it is a present reality. This is revolutionary teaching about the Kingdom of Heaven meaning the active rule of God in the lives of His people now and dynamically different from the world view. This sovereign rule of God in the lives of His people transcends every denominational difference. In relation to ‘Blessed are the peacemakers I was struck by the analogy of a cooking pot that Desi used. Fire and water cannot exist together but the cooking pot filled with water can be set on the fire. The challenge to me is - am I willing to be like a cooking pot? …to take the heat? ..to be one in whom the reign of God is a present reality thus bringing enemies together?
We moved on to Chorazim, one of the towns Jesus denounced for rejecting His teaching. We went to the synagogue, saw Moses’seat referred to in the passage in where Jesus spoke about the Pharisees in Matthew 23 and Desi took the opportunity to talk to us about the seven kinds of Pharisees which challenged us to think of the relevance of this for our own churches today, of which we are a part.
Although not originally scripted we ended up in a restaurant beside the Sea of Galilee having a full lunch which we did not really need but it did include St Peter’s fish , one of the best known fish caught in the lake. We had an opportunity to walk down to the shoreline and paddle in the warm water while noting with some alarm the low level of the water and the implications for Israel of continuing drought.
This was the one afternoon when we came back early to the hotel and had the opportunity to rest and relax and to have a swim in the hotel pool. I took the opportunity to walk around the kibbutz and enjoy the lovely gardens which were a real oasis of peace.
At dinner that evening the siren went at 8pm and we stood in silence for two minutes to remember all those who have fallen in the Israeli armed struggle.
That evening we had a fascinating talk from CB, a Dublin Jew who ‘made aliyah’ in 1955 and has been a member of the Lavi kibbutz since then. He got across to us what the area was like back then and the tremendous developments which have occurred over the last 50+ years. We learned about how the kibbutz is run and the facilities available to its 700 members. Apart from the hotel they have a factory making synagogue furniture as well as a number of farming enterprises.
On Tuesday morning it was another early start to get to Tiberias for 8.30am to get a boat to cross the Sea of Galilee. It was misty and calm and we all were thrilled by the experience. Lots of photos were taken Desi read to us John 6 where Jesus walked on the water and also read Psalm 107 so that we could hear the story ‘in stereo’ Once again I realised that I cannot separate the gospel from the Hebrew Scriptures. Desi spoke about Jesus ‘ control of the sea, a reminder again of how he opened up the Red Sea for the Israelites. He explained to us the meaning of Jesus ‘about to pass by them’, a phrase used in the Hebrew Bible to describe a revelation of God such as in Exodus 34. Jesus said’ It is I – this was Him using a divine title such as ‘I am who I am’ as in Exodus 3 v 14. The boat stopped and we were shown how one of the fishing nets used in Jesus’ time – the cast net –was used. We went then to the Yigal Allon Centre where we had a welcome coffee break and then saw the Ancient Galilee boat discovered in 1986 and conserved, enabling us to see a boat similar to that referred to in the Gospels.
We moved on then to St Peter’s Primacy. Again we ignored the church on the site and went down to the edge of the lake, admiring the colony of coneys on the rocks. This is where it is believed Jesus met the disciples in the incident described in John 21 and Desi read the passage and brought it to life before our eyes. We were given time then to meditate on what we had heard and without a doubt the Holy Spirit came upon us in a very gentle but powerful way, ministering to us. For all of us this was one of the most memorable times in the whole trip.
It was then time to go to Capernaum. We know that Jesus spent a lot of time here and that he taught in the synagogue. The ruins of the synagogue include part of the floor of that original building where Jesus was. We also saw houses including what is believed to be the house of Peter’s mother –in –law, now almost covered by a huge church. As we observed mill stones lying around it reminded us of how Jesus used ordinary things around Him in His teaching.
Finally we went to the baptismal site on the River Jordan and watched reverently as some baptisms took place. Desi taught us about the healing of Naaman, about his thought patterns, about the little servant girl and her ministry, and how God showed that His ways are not our ways and that He is a God who transcends borders. We also reflected on Jesus’ baptism. He did not need to be baptised but he submitted to it to fulfil all righteousness. Here we saw catfish swimming in the river.
When we got back to the hotel, some had a rest while others enjoyed a tour of the Kibbutz, taken round by another Dublin resident. The visit to the synagogue was especially appreciated. All of us did gather at 7.15pm to share in the kibbutz outdoor celebrations of Independence Day. We enjoyed the singing and dancing and found the playing of the Israeli anthem in this setting very moving.
Next morning we headed to the Dan Nature Reserve and as we journeyed Desi spoke to us about parables which he described as ‘handles on Biblical teaching’ which allow us to carry it away and unpack it as we need to do so. We also learned about the seven rules used to interpret Hebrew truth . One takes us from light to heavy e.g. if God clothes the grass of the field (light) how much more will He clothe us.(heavy) The key words are how much more and how wonderful to see how the book of Hebrews is built around this. We had a good bracing walk taking in the Dan Spring, the shrine from the time of Jeroboam, the Canaanite Gate and other ruins dating from the First Temple period. Nigel acquired a large staff along the way and a new name Moses. Desi gave us an opportunity to put all of this into a historical perspective using a pyramid model. He explained how in Kings and Chronicles we have two perspectives on the one period of history. 1and 2 Kings seek to answer the question as to why the First Temple was destroyed and the Jews dispersed. 1and 2 Chronicles seek to answer the question as to whether God is still interested in the Jews as they make their return from Babylon. He reminded us also of the four different perspectives of the four gospel writers.
After negotiations we managed to have chips for our lunch and then proceeded to Caesarea Philippi, which would have involved Jesus in a walk of 3-4 days with his disciples. This was the territory of Phillip and this was a pagan shrine with a cave dedicated to Pan with many other Greek gods portrayed and honoured. I found it fascinating that this was the place Jesus chose to ask His disciples the crucial question ‘Who do people say the Son of Man is?’ and then ‘Who do you say I am?’ quoted in Matthew and in Mark chapter 8. Desi then spoke to us about the three Son of Man sayings in Chapters 8, 9 and 10 in Mark. At each side of these chapters is the story of the healing of a blind man, The first healing is a two staged one which can speak of Peter who appeared to give the right answer to Jesus but clearly had not really understood what Jesus had come to do. By comparison, at the end of these chapters is the instant healing of Bartimaeus. From this point on Jesus has set His face towards Jerusalem .
Finally on this eventful day we moved to the Golan Heights, saw Syria and Lebanon and our guide updated us on the political situation. We visited ancient Qasrin, a Talmudic village which had a beautiful synagogue. Part of the village has been excavated and we were able to visit houses giving us an insight into domestic life a few centuries after Jesus but probably little changed from his day.. The ancient synagogue is the best preserved one in the Golan area.
It is impossible to convey on paper the enjoyment and craic we had on the bus. I know I have not laughed as much in a long time and I think the top prize for this enjoyment should really go to Rose.
After dinner we felt very privileged to hear Janny speaking to us about her life in Africa. Then Desi used a Hanukka lamp to stress that this lamp was not lit simply to give light. It was lit with an intention and was not to be moved or extinguished during the eight days of the festival which takes place just before Christmas. Was Jesus referring to such a lamp in Matthew c5?
Next morning early, with cases stowed carefully in the bus, we left the Lavi Hotel and began our journey to Jerusalem. We passed Mount Tabor which many feel is where the Transfiguration took place and Desi also spoke to us about one aspect of the Lord’s Prayer ‘Lead us not into temptation’ with its three different nuances. We passed the Gilboa mountains where Jonathan was slain and Saul died and stopped at Bet She’an. Here we could see the simplicity of faith set against a sophisticated and cultured world. People from sophisticated cities in the Decapolis like this one came to hear Jesus. We spent a long time here visiting the theatre and testing the acoustics by singing Psalm 23 from the stage, the latrines (from a sitting position) , the Roman baths and even the brothel. Desi spoke to us about the themes of garden and city and how Revelation 21/22 brings the garden back to the city through the redeeming work of Jesus. We looked at the broad road, the cardo running through the city and compared it with the little streets in the villages of Galilee, making Jesus teaching about the broad and narrow ways so much more meaningful. We looked at Proverbs and the teaching on wisdom and Desi explained the broad spectrum of Jewish life that is exposed to us. On the one side the impact of Greek culture and the openness to all things Greek and on the other the withdrawal from these ways to live in isolation in the desert. This visit set many things in context for me: the sadness of all this artistic talent being used to build a city to the glory of man rather than to the glory of God, the importance of not losing the value of manual skills exemplified by Jesus who used both his head and his hands and then the preparation for the visit to Qumran to find out about the Essenes who turned their back on the culture and values of places like Bet She’an.
The temperature was rising as we made our way nearer to the Dead Sea and after a lunch and shopping break, we met Hanna, our new guide and under her enthusiastic leadership we had a tour of the area where the Dead Sea scrolls were found. We watched a helpful film about the Essenes who lived here; we saw the ruins of the scriptorium where they wrote their documents and gained some insight into a way of life which even the word Spartan does not describe adequately. Hannah told us the fascinating story of how the scrolls came to be found and the wonderful way in which their emergence coincided with the birth of Israel as a nation. To Hanna this was God’s birthday present to Israel. I found it so interesting that there is a phrase Jesus used in his teaching in Matthew 5 ‘and hate your enemy’ which is not found in the Hebrew Scriptures but is in the Qumran scrolls suggesting that He was aware of the Essenes and their writings. As we journeyed on Desi spoke to us about the catfish and the story in Matthew 17 when Jesus was challenged about paying taxes. Jesus did not wish to offend so even though he owed no taxes he provided the money not out of the common purse but with a found coin found in the mouth of a scavenger catfish.
We also learned about the three basic criteria by which people identify themselves as Jews namely circumcision, observation of Shabbat and the dietary laws. Desi then referred to Paul’s teaching in Galatians and his reference to ‘the works of the law’ This is not a reference to good works to earn salvation because Jews believe in God’s unconditional grace and do not have a works salvation. Rather Paul is concerned about Jews imposing their rules on Gentile believers, just as we can do to new converts today.
The landscape through which we travelled was utterly bleak and desert like, reminding me of Jesus’ temptations. We came to a spot where we stopped, managed to avoid the many sellers of trinkets and came to a viewpoint where we could see the road from Jerusalem to Jericho, where the Good Samaritan story was based. This parable stresses sight and how our inner sight was improved as Desi read and spoke to us.
As we neared Jerusalem we listened to Hebrew music and Desi read to us a reflection on Jerusalem written by Heschel.
We travelled on Highway 60 the ancient highway of the patriarchs , the first being Abraham the father of all who have faith and made our way to Abraham’s ridge where we could view the Old City and the Mount of Olives. Hanna spoke to us about Genesis 22 and Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac and she ended by saying that Genesis 22 is about me because I am the seed of Abraham, the great Gentile who entered into a covenant relationship with God and became the first Jewish patriarch.
After an eventful and tiring day we checked into our Hotel which gave us great views over the city. As before we had self service meals and all of us did justice to them in our own way.
From the start of Friday we were aware that this is the day of preparation for Shabbat , described by Heschel as ‘a transcendental oasis in time’
We started our day in the City of David which is outside the city walls now but would have been inside in the time of Jesus and could look up to Abraham’s ridge where we were yesterday evening. All around us were countless flat roofed Arab houses as we listened to the story of David coming to this place, building his palace and buying the ground upon which his son Solomon would build the First Temple. We walked around looking at the tomb where David may have been buried and then went to the Pool of Shilom. Only part of this has been excavated but Desi made it come alive as he described the incident in John 7 which would have taken place on the final day of the Festival of Tabernacles . The priests would come on that final day to collect water from the pool and would then process to the Temple. John 7 v 37 tells us that it was on that last and greatest day of the feast that Jesus stood up describing himself as ‘living water’
We then moved into the Jerusalem Archaeological Park which took us to the Southern Steps which are the original steps leading to the Temple Mount. As we walked round to them the ritual baths were everywhere making it clear how it was possible in Acts 2 for those who came to faith in such numbers to be baptised. 300,000/400,000 pilgrims would have entered the Temple one way and come out via these steps and Jesus would have been one of them. Those in mourning went the opposite way and were blessed by those who passed them. Desi spoke to us about the events of Acts 2 and encouraged us to listen ‘in stereo’ setting the events in Exodus alongside. To the Jews fire spoke of Sinai and Pentecost was the God of Exodus coming to them. God’s current address is the living stones indwelt by His Spirit –without the Spirit, the events of Jesus ‘ life would remain in the past. As we were being taught and as we walked up the steps the scent of beautiful flowers was all around.
We wandered around the area looking at the Robinson Arch destroyed by the Romans and Desi spoke to us about Jesus and the money changers. He did so in the context of Jeremiah 7 especially v11 making it clear that the minds of His Jewish hearers would run on to realise that here was a veiled prediction of coming destruction. Jesus was not just a socialist concerned about the exploitation of people coming to the Temple.; He was pointing out that temple taxes were going towards a building in which the people had put their trust and that it would soon be destroyed. We went then to the Israel Museum and spent some time considering a wonderful model of the Second Temple. We then had an opportunity to view some of the Qumran scrolls but some of us were weary and were glad to stop for lunch in the museum. After lunch we went to an open air market in Jerusalem and had an opportunity not just to see the wonderful food stalls but to experience the atmosphere of expectancy as people shopped to get in provisions before Sabbath. Some folk returned to the hotel after this but led by Valerie some of us went to view the grave of Oskar Schindler and placed a stone upon it. A meeting up with ken and a welcome ice-cream then saw us moving to the area around the Western Wall. During some hours there we had an opportunity to see men and women in their separate areas studying and praying and were able to go ourselves to pray at this place so precious to the Jews and to see the little slips of paper with prayers written on them in the cracks in the wall. One was struck by the variety of dress of the Jewish men, indicating the different groupings within Judaism. It was a tremendous experience to see more and more people arrive at the wall as Sabbath approached and indeed to see the sense of joy as it began with singing and dancing.. This is such a challenge to us. It got chilly however and we piled on whatever layers of clothes we had.
Next morning, aware it was Shabbat, we set off early to the Mount of Olives which was so different to what most of us had expected. We considered the prophecy in Zechariah 14 about the Mount of Olives and could see in front of us the Eastern Gate, in front of which Muslims have built a cemetery as if to stop Jesus returning through the Gate. Bethany was pointed out – a place outside the city which would have been occupied by poor people - it was from here each day that Jesus walked across the Mount of Olives with the Temple before Him. There are 70000 Jewish graves in the Mount of Olives and people are buried with their feet nearer to the Temple so that when they rise again they will face the Temple. Here Desi spoke to us about Rev 21 The New Jerusalem. In John’s vision the city is a perfect cube and were reminded that the first cube was the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle where God dwelt in the midst of His people. The second cube was the Holy of Holies in the Temple and in the New Jerusalem , there will be the all consuming presence of God.
We then walked to the Garden of Gethsemane passing a little chapel called Dominus Flexit (Jesus wept) and were reminded of the greeting Jesus received on that Palm Sunday and how , set in the context of previous mighty leaders who had ridden into Jerusalem and were received with palm branches, this arrival made the Roman authorities so nervous. We went first to a quiet garden opposite the Garden of Gethsemane where Desi spoke to us about Mark 10 putting this in the context of the gospel narrative. This was about james and John’s request to Jesus and how He responded speaking about them drinking the cup which in Hebrew Scriptures is drinking God’s cup of anger and sharing the Baptism of suffering. There was great challenge in realising that Jesus’ death is the supreme example of His life of service. Desi used the analogy of the pawn shop as we reflected on Jesus work of redemption, looking also at Exodus and how God brought His people into freedom and bought their redemption.
We reflected upon the fact that just a little while earlier the disciples had been on the Mount of Transfiguration with Jesus and now they are brought so low. Jesus has a single minded intensity which came home in a new way as we thought of the oil press found in this area speaking to us of Jesus crushed here to a point beyond our understanding. This was a moment when God drew very near, when Dorothy and Jack shared their experience of God’s salvation and work in their lives. How much it was appreciated to have time to be alone here and in the Garden itself. Even with people around we could know God speaking clearly and know the bond of fellowship God had developed among us as a group.
After lunch in a busy part of the Old City we had the opportunity to walk through various sectors of the city with famous land marks such as the Citadel, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre pointed out to us. We found a shop called Suschana (Rose) which gave one of the party a new Jewish name!) We went to the Pool of Bethesda and the church of St Anne’s and it was lovely to enter there and share with others the singing of God’s praise. At the Pool Desi shared the story of the healing of the man ill for 38 years. The wonderful question Jesus posed to him and still to us ‘Do you want to be made whole?’ was brought to us and how the Pharisees reacted because it was Shabbat.
We went then to the site regarded by many as the site of Golgotha, where our Lord was crucified. Although there were many people there it was a very moving moment as we contemplated the site and thought of what Jesus suffered for us. We were meant to travel by bus to the Garden Tomb but the traffic was heavy and we needed to be there for a particular time so we ended up making our way through crowded busy streets to the entrance. What was amazing was that when we went in the noise outside seemed to disappear, we could hear the birds sing and the most obvious sounds were of groups meeting in parts of the Garden to sing God’s praises. We were shown around by a lovely English gentleman who was here as a volunteer. We found the area around the Tomb crowded and some like me were a bit taken aback by the fact that it seemed like a tourism site to folk taking photographs. For me it was the notice inside the tomb saying ‘He is not here. He is risen ‘that made most impact. It was moving to hear the guide speak of his own faith and that was a prelude to being taken to a little private area where we joined with two ladies who were doing voluntary work in Jerusalem to pray and to have communion together. Hannah our guide provided little olive wood cups for the wine and they are a reminder of that very special occasion.
After dinner Seth, son of our guide Hannah who is a Messianic Jew came to speak to us .He spoke to us of Shabbat, the foretaste of true Shalom and how he spends it, seeking to focus upon God and commune with Him. He spoke too of his reading of the Jewish scriptures and stressed the corporate nature of our faith. His knowledge of the Scriptures was so challenging and I was reminded very forcibly of how Saul did not become a Gentile on the Damascus road. Yes there are many issues about how to live as a Jew who believes Jesus is the Messiah and obviously there are many viewpoints on various matters but this talk was certainly thought provoking despite our weariness after a very full day. l
And then to our last day. We left early to go to the Temple Mount. It was strange to note that this Muslim shrine is known as an autonomous region which gives Muslims full freedom and yet we were vetted by Israeli security as we arrived. (Elbows and knees had to be covered.) We gathered that this freedom has led to Muslim religious leaders destroying first and second Temple artefacts. We remembered that the first Temple was built by Solomon on Mount Moriah and how David came to buy the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite as the site for that Temple. On the Temple Mount we found the Dome of the Rock and the El Asque mosque….indeed the temple Mount has been ruled by Muslims since the 7th century. The Dome has a recently restored 14 carat gold roof provided from the resources of King Hussein of Jordan and amazingly the work was done by a NI firm Mivan. Here Hannah spoke at length about Micah 4 and the threshing floor applying this to present and future events. One thing she said on that occasion startled me which was that the Jews’ blindness and failure to accept Jesus which led to His death and resurrection was the way that led to my salvation and so I was caused to think again about the issue of God’s sovereign ways. Desi spoke to us about Ephesians 2 and the dividing wall and challenged us to ask why Israel has survived. He spoke of the unbreakability of the rocks God has established …the rock of Israel and the rock of Jesus. He spoke of the nature of the Hebrew Bible which is defined by verbs rather than nouns and adjectives. In the West we seek to define and describe what is so often indescribable and indefinable. He explained that the verb behind the word Torah meant someone pulling a bow back and focusing on a target. Torah guides and instructs but does not impose. In the West we seek to define and describe sin and so often we end up trivialising it but when we see it as missing the target that God has set this opens up a new dimension of meaning. To realise that in technical archery the arrow that falls short is the sinner made a powerful impression on us all. Only Jesus can put me back on target and His word which includes the Torah has its crucial role to play in that.
We then travelled slowly to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial. A welcome coffee break came first and then we had some hours to spend there, choosing which sections of this remarkably moving place to visit. Each on in the group has their own memory of what was most moving for them. The Avenue of the Righteous which has 22000 trees planted in memory of Gentiles whose heart was to support the Jews through this dreadful genocide was something I had not expected but found very meaningful. After some lunch most of us went on a final trip to the Jewish quarter in the Old City to do some shopping. Despite some getting lost ! we were reunited and got taxis back to the hotel, after a final gaze at the Mount of Olives.
Conscious of an early start and a wake up call at 2am we had a brief time together after dinner. We had the opportunity to say good bye and thanks to Hanna our guide and to give Heather and Desi some small tokens of our heartfelt appreciation of their ministry to us. In a short final teaching session Desi spoke about the prayer shawl which is so significant in Jewish life.
A few hours later we collected our breakfast boxes and headed to Tel Aviv airport. We thank God for a very uneventful and pleasant journey home at the end of a trip which was so much more than a holiday or even a study tour but a ministry of God in our lives.
Kate Doherty
19th May 2009
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