Today was one of the best field trips that we had. The combination of biblical sites and the adventure of spelunking, the excitement of seeing where David fought Goliath, and where he grew up. The Shephelah played a major role in biblical times. It is home to many of the easier routes up to the hill country. There are five major valleys making up the Shephelah, or the “Low Lands”, and those are: the Aijalon valley, Sorek Valley, Elah Valley, Guvrin Valley, and Lachish Valley. These valleys are broad and have very good soil to have crops such as wheat and barley and some of the best grapes come from the vines in these valleys. Each valley has cities that contribute to the significance of role the valley plays.
Since we visited the Aijalon Valley on the Jerusalem approaches trip, we started out with the Sorek Valley. We started out at Beth-Shemesh where we looked at two major events. We looked at Judges 13-16 which involves Samson, and I Samuel 6-7:2 which has to do with the Ark of the Covenant. Beth-Shemesh means House of the Sun. This city was a Canaanite city and was probably named because the inhabitants worshiped their god of the sun. From the tel-Beth Shemesh we could see the broad valley and Timnah in the distance giving some guard to the entrance of the valley. And further than that to the south of Timnah is Ekron, which provides more control of the mouth of the Sorek Valley.
As we were at Beth-Shemesh we read the account of how the Ark of the Covenant was brought up from the Philistine cities up to Kiriat Jearim. This really made me think of the fact that the Lord is in control of everything. The fact that the Ark was taken in the first place, when the Israelite were depending on themselves, and God allowed the Ark to be taken so that the Israelites might repent of their sins, and then the Ark was brought back to them… by some cows. Of all things, cows! Again, this account that was written actually knew all of the terrain, and was a first hand account. There is an emphasis in the coming DOWN from Kiriat Jearim, and taking it back UP to Kriat Jearim. Knowing the geography helps to understand what really happened when we read the Bible.
We then went to Azekah, in the valley of Elah where David and Goliath had their feud. As we stood on the tell on the top of the hill we could clearly see the where they probably were and where Goliath stood every morning taunting the Israelites. The Philistines were camped from where we were standing, at Azekah, all the way to Socoh, and it was really neat seeing how many Philistines were actually there to cover all that ground! From the top we drove down to the brook that goes through the Elah Valley, close to Azekah, probably where David chose the 5 smooth stones to sling at Goliath. After reenacting the events of the fight I realized again how this fight was not David’s or the Israelites, but God’s. That was probably the highlight of the trip… all of these fights were not anyone else’s but the Lords. For example, when the Amorites were chased as far as Azekah with hail stones from the Lord. No one caused that but the Lord.
Working our way southwards we hit Maresha, which is the hometown of the prophet Micah. Here we saw well excavated and preserved Hellenistic and Idumean cities. This was also the spot that is in II Chronicles 14:9-15 that talks about Asa repels an attack by Zerah the Ethopian king.
Lachish was the next spot that we visited. This is where Joshua smote the inhabitants with the edge of the sword. Meaning that he didn’t burn or destroy the city. This is something that helps out with the 1446 exodus from Egypt. Archaeologists who look for burn layers for the Israelite periods are looking for the wrong things because the Lord told them that they would be living in houses that they didn’t build, and reaping fields they didn’t plant. They wouldn’t burn down the cities that they conquered, they would just move into it.
Gath, the hometown of Goliath was the last place that we went to. This was a nice hike up to the tell. And as we were up there you can tell why this was a good city to have. It controlled the entrance to the Elah Valley and you have a commanding view of the coastal plains and the hill country. This was the one of the places fled from Saul. Of all places, this one is ironic, because it was the hometown of Goliath who David killed not too long before he visited the city this time. And this is where David acted insane so that his life would be spared. David was not only thinking about himself when he fled to Gath. Yes, David was fleeing for his life, but he knew that if he were to flee to some other town in Israel, Saul would have punished both David and the people helping him. So he wasn’t just thinking about himself when he came to Gath.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Bethphage to Herodian...
Matt Davis
Land & Bible
9.19.07
Jerusalem Approaches
It never ceases to amaze me when I can catch a glimpse of God’s genius. Today it was a glimpse at His planning of the land of His chosen people, Israel. We were focusing on the approaches or routes that lead to Jerusalem. From the beginning God had a plan for the layout of the country and the geography plays a huge role in Israel’s success and protection. From the east, coming from Jericho, on the Ascent of Adumim anyone traveling would have to go over the Mount of Olives. And of course any travel in the land of Israel is going to be, for the majority of the time, will be on the ridges. Travel will rarely be in the valleys, just because it is harder to go up and down in elevation.
Our first stop on the Mount of Olives was at Bethphage in garden overlooking Bethany. Bethany was where Jesus raised Lazarus up from the dead in John 11. And if you think about it one of the most amazing miracles. I mean if someone has power over death in that one instance it is very convincing, this is one of the reasons why many saw and believed in Jesus. This miracle goes against the grain when it comes to the publicity that it received. In Jesus’ ministry He would be telling people to not tell anyone about these miracles that He was performing. But this one was different. Messengers came to Jesus and told Him that he was sick, but Jesus waits 2 days before He sets His sights on Bethany. And during His journey Lazarus dies and Mary comes to tell Him. Now Jesus knew that this was going to happen, and that there were going to be people following Him to Bethany, and He also knew that there would be mourners there. So as the people were there watching and listening to what Jesus said, “Lazarus, come out!” they would have thought he was crazy. But this was to prove His authority over sin.
Many other events in the life of Christ happened on the Mount of Olives. Jesus’ ascension takes place here, as well as the start of the triumphal entry, and the Olivet discourse. Many aspects of these events that I have never thought about were helpful to me today. Take the ascension for instance, I have never really thought about how that really happened. Did Jesus just take off like a rocket ship and go up into the sky, go through the atmosphere, up past the moon, past Pluto, and off until the people couldn’t see Him anymore? Well, the bible says that He was taken up into a cloud and the cloud is what probably took him away. And this event is how He will return, which is exciting.
After the Mount of Olives we headed to the Ketef Hinnom, or the Shoulder of Hinnom, where two silver amulets were found with the oldest inscription of biblical text. The priestly blessing from Numbers 6 is what is found on them. This archaeological find really hurts liberal scholars who want to say that the Pentateuch was written later, because of the age of the inscription which is 600 B.C.
One of the most impressive places we visited was the Herodian. This was a fortress that Herod built up for himself on an existing hill making it on very high ground. He could see the dead sea and the back side of the Mount of Olives. From Josephus’ writings we find our that he wanted to make a memorial for himself, and so he decorates it very extravagantly. This is where Herod wanted to be buried. Archelaus’s, Herod’s son, brought out all Herod's ornaments to adorn the pomp of the funeral. And Josephus goes on to describe all of the things that went into putting on this funeral: purple robes, gold, jewels, diadems on his head, and a scepter in his right hand. This was the King of the Jews (politically speaking), and no one liked him at all. Now contrast that with Jesus King of the Jews (spiritually speaking) who rivaled Herod at age 2. Jesus barely got a tomb to be buried in and He is the one who can save a soul. The radical nature of Jesus’ humility is so convicting to my own heart. This is not to say that Jesus will never be the ultimate king and rule over all with all authority, but his first coming showed us His humility. And at Christ’s “lowest” point here on earth, that was really His greatest time. He conquered death and sin. Herod’s highest point could never compare to anything Jesus did.
Thinking about Christ’s work on the cross should make us love Him more and more. This is the man that saved our souls. This is the man we worship. This is the man that cares for us. This is the man that is our king. What an amazing God we serve.
Land & Bible
9.19.07
Jerusalem Approaches
It never ceases to amaze me when I can catch a glimpse of God’s genius. Today it was a glimpse at His planning of the land of His chosen people, Israel. We were focusing on the approaches or routes that lead to Jerusalem. From the beginning God had a plan for the layout of the country and the geography plays a huge role in Israel’s success and protection. From the east, coming from Jericho, on the Ascent of Adumim anyone traveling would have to go over the Mount of Olives. And of course any travel in the land of Israel is going to be, for the majority of the time, will be on the ridges. Travel will rarely be in the valleys, just because it is harder to go up and down in elevation.
Our first stop on the Mount of Olives was at Bethphage in garden overlooking Bethany. Bethany was where Jesus raised Lazarus up from the dead in John 11. And if you think about it one of the most amazing miracles. I mean if someone has power over death in that one instance it is very convincing, this is one of the reasons why many saw and believed in Jesus. This miracle goes against the grain when it comes to the publicity that it received. In Jesus’ ministry He would be telling people to not tell anyone about these miracles that He was performing. But this one was different. Messengers came to Jesus and told Him that he was sick, but Jesus waits 2 days before He sets His sights on Bethany. And during His journey Lazarus dies and Mary comes to tell Him. Now Jesus knew that this was going to happen, and that there were going to be people following Him to Bethany, and He also knew that there would be mourners there. So as the people were there watching and listening to what Jesus said, “Lazarus, come out!” they would have thought he was crazy. But this was to prove His authority over sin.
Many other events in the life of Christ happened on the Mount of Olives. Jesus’ ascension takes place here, as well as the start of the triumphal entry, and the Olivet discourse. Many aspects of these events that I have never thought about were helpful to me today. Take the ascension for instance, I have never really thought about how that really happened. Did Jesus just take off like a rocket ship and go up into the sky, go through the atmosphere, up past the moon, past Pluto, and off until the people couldn’t see Him anymore? Well, the bible says that He was taken up into a cloud and the cloud is what probably took him away. And this event is how He will return, which is exciting.
After the Mount of Olives we headed to the Ketef Hinnom, or the Shoulder of Hinnom, where two silver amulets were found with the oldest inscription of biblical text. The priestly blessing from Numbers 6 is what is found on them. This archaeological find really hurts liberal scholars who want to say that the Pentateuch was written later, because of the age of the inscription which is 600 B.C.
One of the most impressive places we visited was the Herodian. This was a fortress that Herod built up for himself on an existing hill making it on very high ground. He could see the dead sea and the back side of the Mount of Olives. From Josephus’ writings we find our that he wanted to make a memorial for himself, and so he decorates it very extravagantly. This is where Herod wanted to be buried. Archelaus’s, Herod’s son, brought out all Herod's ornaments to adorn the pomp of the funeral. And Josephus goes on to describe all of the things that went into putting on this funeral: purple robes, gold, jewels, diadems on his head, and a scepter in his right hand. This was the King of the Jews (politically speaking), and no one liked him at all. Now contrast that with Jesus King of the Jews (spiritually speaking) who rivaled Herod at age 2. Jesus barely got a tomb to be buried in and He is the one who can save a soul. The radical nature of Jesus’ humility is so convicting to my own heart. This is not to say that Jesus will never be the ultimate king and rule over all with all authority, but his first coming showed us His humility. And at Christ’s “lowest” point here on earth, that was really His greatest time. He conquered death and sin. Herod’s highest point could never compare to anything Jesus did.
Thinking about Christ’s work on the cross should make us love Him more and more. This is the man that saved our souls. This is the man we worship. This is the man that cares for us. This is the man that is our king. What an amazing God we serve.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Rosh Hashana...
Soon enough we will have a free day here in Israel. We have been going on adventures, either out in the field or in the classroom for the last couple weeks. This week was Rosh Hashana, which is the Jewish New Year, and Biblically it is the feast of Trumpets (Lev 23:23). We have been learning a lot about what these festivals actually mean. The word for feast in Leviticus 23 is better translated times. So in the beginning of the chapter it would read more accurately, "The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, These are the appointed times of the Lord that you shall proclaim as holy convocations; they are my appointed times." Following this verse are several different days that God had told the Israelites to set aside for an appointment with God, such as the Sabbath, Passover, feast of firstfruits, feast of weeks, feast of trumpets, day of atonement, and the feast of booths.
Why are there appointed times if God is approachable every day? It was explained to me this way: Say I'm friends with my doctor, Dr. Smith, and I saw Dr. Smith on the street today. And we chatted it up, and we talked about the family, sports, polar caps, etc. I talked to him very casually and about things that were important at the time. But lets say I had an appointment next Monday with Dr. Smith and I just didn't show up. I knew I had an appointment because it was in my planner, and it was also in Dr. Smith's planner. And the receptionist and Dr. Smith was counting on me to show up, so I would get charged for missing the appointment. You see, Dr. Smith is still Dr. Smith when we met on the street, but next Monday I planned on seeing him in a different context.
So these different days that are celebrated by the Jewish people were appointed by God. Romans 14:5-6 says, "One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and he gives thanks to God." What does this mean for us today? I would say that you have to be aware of God who has given you the day to live and recognize that HE is holy and give thanks for that.
Coming up on Saturday is another holiday for the Jews, and that is Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement. This is exciting because if falls on a Shabbat, and in Israel (minus the Arab's, who are also celebrating Ramadan) the country will pretty much shut down and everyone will be inside. So I think I might go play on the highway because there won't be any cars on it!
I meant to actually talk more about our trip to Ashkelon last Saturday, but I got rambling, so I'll write another one recapping that within the next couple of days.
Why are there appointed times if God is approachable every day? It was explained to me this way: Say I'm friends with my doctor, Dr. Smith, and I saw Dr. Smith on the street today. And we chatted it up, and we talked about the family, sports, polar caps, etc. I talked to him very casually and about things that were important at the time. But lets say I had an appointment next Monday with Dr. Smith and I just didn't show up. I knew I had an appointment because it was in my planner, and it was also in Dr. Smith's planner. And the receptionist and Dr. Smith was counting on me to show up, so I would get charged for missing the appointment. You see, Dr. Smith is still Dr. Smith when we met on the street, but next Monday I planned on seeing him in a different context.
So these different days that are celebrated by the Jewish people were appointed by God. Romans 14:5-6 says, "One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and he gives thanks to God." What does this mean for us today? I would say that you have to be aware of God who has given you the day to live and recognize that HE is holy and give thanks for that.
Coming up on Saturday is another holiday for the Jews, and that is Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement. This is exciting because if falls on a Shabbat, and in Israel (minus the Arab's, who are also celebrating Ramadan) the country will pretty much shut down and everyone will be inside. So I think I might go play on the highway because there won't be any cars on it!
I meant to actually talk more about our trip to Ashkelon last Saturday, but I got rambling, so I'll write another one recapping that within the next couple of days.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Benjamin... the land between
Matt Davis
Land & Bible
9.12.07
Field Report #4
Mission: Possible. What was the mission, you ask. It was to explore and learn about the land allotment of the tribe of Benjamin along with the “front door” to Jerusalem. These field trips really start the class before we actually go on to the field, in the classroom. We learned in the classroom about the verses that actually are assigning the land to Benjamin. In Joshua 18:11 we learn that the lot of Benjamin, “fell between” the tribes of Ephraim and Judah. And also we learned about the different routes that cut east and west between Jericho to Jerusalem to the coastal plains.
In the following verses in Joshua they tell about how Benjamin is “in between”, it goes into great detail about the boundaries of the territory. I mean it really goes into detail. This is one of the evidences we have as to the authenticity of this account. It shows that this was written by an eyewitness. Because why would someone who was writing this a century later write in such detail? And if someone tried they would probably mess up on certain things that only eyewitnesses would recall.
We started out our day at near Kiriat Jaarim, which is near the border of Benjamin and Dan. Heading due west we went down into the Aijilon Valley, which is the next valley north of the Sorek Valley. We stopped briefly at Emmaus, which is not the city where the two disciples were heading for when Jesus, after the resurrection, appeared to them. The explanation to why this was not the site really made me think about how important it is to learn the original languages, and to actually study traditions and figure out where they really came from.
One thing that we have learned here in the land of Israel is that travel is on the ridges, and out of the valleys. This is important because the geography of the land changes so drastically and you can really tell why it is such a big deal to find the easiest way from point A to point B. Definitely one of the easiest ways to get from the coastal plains through the mountains is the Beth Horon Ridge route. This is because it continuously follows a single ridge. There is not really any loss in elevation once you get on it. It goes straight up. The bible says that this route is where Amorites flee from the Israelites led by Joshua, and large hailstones fell at the Ascent of Beth Horon. This is also the same occasion where Joshua prayed to God for the sun to stand still at Gibeon and the moon in the Valley of Aijilon, which is visible from the ridge route. Thinking about these miraculous things that hadn’t happened before or since then, made me meditate on the magnitude of God. When we got out of the bus, and we were standing there listening to Bill talk on the route, I saw a praying mantis, and I thought about how God is big enough to control the weather, in a way that is more like a sniper in battle, picking off the Amorites. But yet God cares so much about that little mantis, to give it food, and to make everything work in his body. And so how much more about me to give me salvation. Wow.
So after meditating on how awesome God is, we worked our way over onto the other side of Israel. The eastern side of Israel has its own beauty which is like none other. After being on the western side of the hill country where it is green and beautiful, and receiving the western breeze off the Mediterranean, I don’t think that I was prepared for the wilderness. The contrast between the two places is incredible. Wandering for 40 years (even though it wasn’t exactly the same) seems a little more real to me now that I know what the wilderness is.
We were at Jericho, and got to see the tell (a mound where a city is built over another) where the ancient city was. And while we were marching around the city like the Israelites, Abner wanted to point something out to us. In one of the layers in excavations there was a pot that had been discovered. And this pot was pretty much in tact. It was broken, but the dirt around it held its form. And when they discovered this, there was ash in it and this ash turned out to be burnt wheat. This would seem weird to the excavators, because why would one burn their grain, that’s a waste. But this layer dated back to the 1400’s BC, and what happened then? Joshua led the conquest of Jericho! And since God told them that none of the booty was to be kept for themselves, everything got burned. This really puts a cramp in liberal scholars’ style, especially about the date for the Exodus. This was also a reminder that God is really in control. And when God is fighting for you, who can be against you?
Sorry about no pics on this one... I'll try and get them up soon. But I have loads of homework to do!!! bah!:)
Land & Bible
9.12.07
Field Report #4
Mission: Possible. What was the mission, you ask. It was to explore and learn about the land allotment of the tribe of Benjamin along with the “front door” to Jerusalem. These field trips really start the class before we actually go on to the field, in the classroom. We learned in the classroom about the verses that actually are assigning the land to Benjamin. In Joshua 18:11 we learn that the lot of Benjamin, “fell between” the tribes of Ephraim and Judah. And also we learned about the different routes that cut east and west between Jericho to Jerusalem to the coastal plains.
In the following verses in Joshua they tell about how Benjamin is “in between”, it goes into great detail about the boundaries of the territory. I mean it really goes into detail. This is one of the evidences we have as to the authenticity of this account. It shows that this was written by an eyewitness. Because why would someone who was writing this a century later write in such detail? And if someone tried they would probably mess up on certain things that only eyewitnesses would recall.
We started out our day at near Kiriat Jaarim, which is near the border of Benjamin and Dan. Heading due west we went down into the Aijilon Valley, which is the next valley north of the Sorek Valley. We stopped briefly at Emmaus, which is not the city where the two disciples were heading for when Jesus, after the resurrection, appeared to them. The explanation to why this was not the site really made me think about how important it is to learn the original languages, and to actually study traditions and figure out where they really came from.
One thing that we have learned here in the land of Israel is that travel is on the ridges, and out of the valleys. This is important because the geography of the land changes so drastically and you can really tell why it is such a big deal to find the easiest way from point A to point B. Definitely one of the easiest ways to get from the coastal plains through the mountains is the Beth Horon Ridge route. This is because it continuously follows a single ridge. There is not really any loss in elevation once you get on it. It goes straight up. The bible says that this route is where Amorites flee from the Israelites led by Joshua, and large hailstones fell at the Ascent of Beth Horon. This is also the same occasion where Joshua prayed to God for the sun to stand still at Gibeon and the moon in the Valley of Aijilon, which is visible from the ridge route. Thinking about these miraculous things that hadn’t happened before or since then, made me meditate on the magnitude of God. When we got out of the bus, and we were standing there listening to Bill talk on the route, I saw a praying mantis, and I thought about how God is big enough to control the weather, in a way that is more like a sniper in battle, picking off the Amorites. But yet God cares so much about that little mantis, to give it food, and to make everything work in his body. And so how much more about me to give me salvation. Wow.
So after meditating on how awesome God is, we worked our way over onto the other side of Israel. The eastern side of Israel has its own beauty which is like none other. After being on the western side of the hill country where it is green and beautiful, and receiving the western breeze off the Mediterranean, I don’t think that I was prepared for the wilderness. The contrast between the two places is incredible. Wandering for 40 years (even though it wasn’t exactly the same) seems a little more real to me now that I know what the wilderness is.
We were at Jericho, and got to see the tell (a mound where a city is built over another) where the ancient city was. And while we were marching around the city like the Israelites, Abner wanted to point something out to us. In one of the layers in excavations there was a pot that had been discovered. And this pot was pretty much in tact. It was broken, but the dirt around it held its form. And when they discovered this, there was ash in it and this ash turned out to be burnt wheat. This would seem weird to the excavators, because why would one burn their grain, that’s a waste. But this layer dated back to the 1400’s BC, and what happened then? Joshua led the conquest of Jericho! And since God told them that none of the booty was to be kept for themselves, everything got burned. This really puts a cramp in liberal scholars’ style, especially about the date for the Exodus. This was also a reminder that God is really in control. And when God is fighting for you, who can be against you?
Sorry about no pics on this one... I'll try and get them up soon. But I have loads of homework to do!!! bah!:)
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Multiple Views...
As you know I am not the only one here in Israel learning and studying. I hope that you guys check out other blogs of my fellow IBEX members. John Lafferty, my room mate has a blog: http://laffertyjr1.blogspot.com/ called the Fourth Star Will Not Fall.
Theo Low also my room mate has another blog: http://theoldenglish.blogspot.com/ called Looking Back to the Mercy Tree
Steve Crawford also has a blog: http://stephencrawford.wordpress.com/ called Commentary on a Vapor, Vo. IV
I hope you enjoy a different perspective on time spent in Israel. Shalom
Theo Low also my room mate has another blog: http://theoldenglish.blogspot.com/ called Looking Back to the Mercy Tree
Steve Crawford also has a blog: http://stephencrawford.wordpress.com/ called Commentary on a Vapor, Vo. IV
I hope you enjoy a different perspective on time spent in Israel. Shalom
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Out for a stroll...
Matt Davis
9.5.07
Land and Bible
Field Report NT Walk
Am I tired? Well, to be honest, yes. And that’s for good reason. Last night started the adventure that is known as the New Testament walk in Jerusalem. Everyone left the Moshav at 5:30 to go to the Israel Museum which houses the Dead Sea Scrolls, a model of Jerusalem c. 70 AD, and other artifacts.
On the way to the museum, we were reviewing our facts about the city of Jerusalem and all of the dates. And Bill was preparing us for what we were about to see. He told us that it was going to be about the size of two tennis courts. I couldn’t really comprehend what that was going to be like so I didn’t think too much on that fact. Well, it was amazing when we approached the model because we came up to it as if we were up on the Mount of Olives, looking down on the temple mount. We have seen other models before, probably about 3 other ones, but this one struck me so much because I really felt that it was more real. I thought on how Jesus walked up the Southern steps up to the temple. I thought about how He was at the pool of Siloam. I thought how he walked the streets and people followed. The unique thing about this model was that it wasn’t so small that you really couldn’t relate to it, but at the same time it made it a lot more manageable than the real thing. Sometimes even though I know the map of Jerusalem, while I’m in the city I feel so dwarfed by the buildings looming over my head.
(This is a 46 picture collage of the model of Jerusalem. Thanks to Darren Wright who gave me the software to blend all of the pictures)
You were able to see clearly the Antonia Fortress guarding the northern entrance to the Temple, and the Citadel on the west side of the city, modern day Jaffa gate. It was clear that the houses on the western hill were definitely more expensive. That whole quarter had the huge houses, theaters, and large wide roads. This model was amazing, and taught me a lot about the lay out and plans of the city.
We then made our way over to the building that houses some of the Dead Sea Scrolls. There are about 800 scrolls discovered and about a quarter of them were books of the bible. These scrolls are very important because we can use them as a textual critic. One of the best examples is of the book of Isaiah. Of the several copies of Isaiah found there were the minutest of variances, such as a missing “kadosh” (holy) in a Holy, Holy, Holy passage. And we can also compare it to what we have today. And the differences are so small. Meaning that the scribes who wrote it down made it an essential to make everything as perfect as possible. This also means that we have the closest copy of the OT as the people who were living in 100 BC.
Later that night we had a unique opportunity to walk along the western wall of the temple mount. This is all underground beneath the Muslim quarter. We were able to walk on a Roman crafted road, and to see the colossal size of some of the stones used in the foundation of the wall. There was one that was about 500 tons. No crane can lift that currently. We were all pretty tired at this point because in was midnight.
After spending the night in the New City, we started off the day with a walk up on the temple mount itself. The place where the Temple was built. We refreshed our history of the mount as well, noting that Mount Moriah was the place God told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac and the place where David bought the threshing floor from a Gentile, for Solomon to build (II Chor). Solomon’s Temple which was built in 966 BC lasted until 586 BC when the Babylonians destroyed it. Another was built and then destroyed in 70 AD. Since approximately 700 AD, the Dome of the Rock has stood there as a Muslim monument. It is making a statement in Jerusalem saying that Islam is the last revelation by God through Mohammed His prophet. They wanted to build something that was bigger than the other buildings in the area.
We then “thought upon [God’s] mercy in the midst of His temple”. Praying and thanking God for His mercies so fresh every morning. For the good times and bad. Rejoicing in the fact that He saved us. This was impacting because I was just thinking about when the curtain in the Holy of Holies tore down the center, making a way to God. I was sitting a few hundred feet away from where it used to be, and I was praying to the God who dwelt in that place, where only the high priest could go once a year. It was amazing.
After such an awesome time we went to see the ruins of the southern steps up to, what would have been, two sets of gates into the temple mount in Jesus’ day. And on the steps of ascent, we read some Psalms of ascent. We read Psalm 120-22, 34-35. To be reading that where most likely those same Psalms would have been read is such a privilege. These steps are also, most likely were Peter and John walked up and a lame man asked them for some money, and they said to him that they had no silver or gold but in the name of Yeshua Hameshia, get up and walk! And that’s exactly what he did.
I can tell from only a little over a week here in Israel that my imagination is being sanctified. I can more clearly see what bible stories are made of. I can see the situation that people were in, desperately seeking for a savior. Most people looking for a political savior, but also many actually receiving the priestly savior, who saved their souls and gave them life. Who gave me life.
We also stopped in the Jewish quarter to see some rich parts of town where probably priests lived. This was probably also a similar type house where Jesus was brought to after he was arrested (Luke 22). The courtyard was the scene for when Peter denied Christ. These priestly houses were remarkable, they had intricate mosaics, large rooms, many baths, and antiques. There was found in one of the houses a Babylonian alabaster jar antique. The total square footage was around 6000 sq. ft. So they weren’t really houses, but mansions.
Tired? Yes. But it is totally worth every sore muscle and every drop of sweat. What an amazing opportunity to understand the Bible better.
9.5.07
Land and Bible
Field Report NT Walk
Am I tired? Well, to be honest, yes. And that’s for good reason. Last night started the adventure that is known as the New Testament walk in Jerusalem. Everyone left the Moshav at 5:30 to go to the Israel Museum which houses the Dead Sea Scrolls, a model of Jerusalem c. 70 AD, and other artifacts.
On the way to the museum, we were reviewing our facts about the city of Jerusalem and all of the dates. And Bill was preparing us for what we were about to see. He told us that it was going to be about the size of two tennis courts. I couldn’t really comprehend what that was going to be like so I didn’t think too much on that fact. Well, it was amazing when we approached the model because we came up to it as if we were up on the Mount of Olives, looking down on the temple mount. We have seen other models before, probably about 3 other ones, but this one struck me so much because I really felt that it was more real. I thought on how Jesus walked up the Southern steps up to the temple. I thought about how He was at the pool of Siloam. I thought how he walked the streets and people followed. The unique thing about this model was that it wasn’t so small that you really couldn’t relate to it, but at the same time it made it a lot more manageable than the real thing. Sometimes even though I know the map of Jerusalem, while I’m in the city I feel so dwarfed by the buildings looming over my head.
(This is a 46 picture collage of the model of Jerusalem. Thanks to Darren Wright who gave me the software to blend all of the pictures)
You were able to see clearly the Antonia Fortress guarding the northern entrance to the Temple, and the Citadel on the west side of the city, modern day Jaffa gate. It was clear that the houses on the western hill were definitely more expensive. That whole quarter had the huge houses, theaters, and large wide roads. This model was amazing, and taught me a lot about the lay out and plans of the city.
We then made our way over to the building that houses some of the Dead Sea Scrolls. There are about 800 scrolls discovered and about a quarter of them were books of the bible. These scrolls are very important because we can use them as a textual critic. One of the best examples is of the book of Isaiah. Of the several copies of Isaiah found there were the minutest of variances, such as a missing “kadosh” (holy) in a Holy, Holy, Holy passage. And we can also compare it to what we have today. And the differences are so small. Meaning that the scribes who wrote it down made it an essential to make everything as perfect as possible. This also means that we have the closest copy of the OT as the people who were living in 100 BC.
Later that night we had a unique opportunity to walk along the western wall of the temple mount. This is all underground beneath the Muslim quarter. We were able to walk on a Roman crafted road, and to see the colossal size of some of the stones used in the foundation of the wall. There was one that was about 500 tons. No crane can lift that currently. We were all pretty tired at this point because in was midnight.
After spending the night in the New City, we started off the day with a walk up on the temple mount itself. The place where the Temple was built. We refreshed our history of the mount as well, noting that Mount Moriah was the place God told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac and the place where David bought the threshing floor from a Gentile, for Solomon to build (II Chor). Solomon’s Temple which was built in 966 BC lasted until 586 BC when the Babylonians destroyed it. Another was built and then destroyed in 70 AD. Since approximately 700 AD, the Dome of the Rock has stood there as a Muslim monument. It is making a statement in Jerusalem saying that Islam is the last revelation by God through Mohammed His prophet. They wanted to build something that was bigger than the other buildings in the area.
We then “thought upon [God’s] mercy in the midst of His temple”. Praying and thanking God for His mercies so fresh every morning. For the good times and bad. Rejoicing in the fact that He saved us. This was impacting because I was just thinking about when the curtain in the Holy of Holies tore down the center, making a way to God. I was sitting a few hundred feet away from where it used to be, and I was praying to the God who dwelt in that place, where only the high priest could go once a year. It was amazing.
After such an awesome time we went to see the ruins of the southern steps up to, what would have been, two sets of gates into the temple mount in Jesus’ day. And on the steps of ascent, we read some Psalms of ascent. We read Psalm 120-22, 34-35. To be reading that where most likely those same Psalms would have been read is such a privilege. These steps are also, most likely were Peter and John walked up and a lame man asked them for some money, and they said to him that they had no silver or gold but in the name of Yeshua Hameshia, get up and walk! And that’s exactly what he did.
I can tell from only a little over a week here in Israel that my imagination is being sanctified. I can more clearly see what bible stories are made of. I can see the situation that people were in, desperately seeking for a savior. Most people looking for a political savior, but also many actually receiving the priestly savior, who saved their souls and gave them life. Who gave me life.
We also stopped in the Jewish quarter to see some rich parts of town where probably priests lived. This was probably also a similar type house where Jesus was brought to after he was arrested (Luke 22). The courtyard was the scene for when Peter denied Christ. These priestly houses were remarkable, they had intricate mosaics, large rooms, many baths, and antiques. There was found in one of the houses a Babylonian alabaster jar antique. The total square footage was around 6000 sq. ft. So they weren’t really houses, but mansions.
Tired? Yes. But it is totally worth every sore muscle and every drop of sweat. What an amazing opportunity to understand the Bible better.
Sunday, September 2, 2007
Many Misconceptions...
Matt Davis
9.2.07
Land & Bible
Jerusalem OT Walk
Though the city is small, Jerusalem has something to offer every single time that you go. There is so much history and there are so many things to see. Today we really tried to focus on Old Testament happenings in the city. Some very thought provoking sights were King Hezekiah’s broad wall, the “Upper Room”, and the City of David.
We started out the day with a little devotional thought to set our minds on what we were going to be doing today. As usual we sang the song “Hodu Adoni” and it is quickly becoming my favorite Hebrew song. We left Moshe, our faithful bus driver, and headed towards Jaffa Gate, and when we entered the old city we made our way into the Jewish quarter. There, our first stop was at The Broad Wall, or Hezekiah’s wall. In recent excavations, archeologists have found what is believed to be what II Chronicles talks about in chapter 32 verse 1-5. In verse five it talks about how Hezekiah raised towers and outside the broken wall he built another wall, and he made weapons and shields. I was really thinking that whole time on the magnitude of the wall. First off, I’m not used to seeing any walled city, so seeing a wall that is twenty feet thick and made of these huge boulders is pretty amazing. This was in anticipation for the Assyrian king’s attack.
These walls were pretty much all left intact underneath the ground, and built on top of because of the strong foundation it provides. These are stones that are dating back a long time, so it is a good thing to build on a foundation that can take thousands of years of abuse.
We then stopped at a little gallery or museum that had a model of Jerusalem in Hezekiah’s time. It was similar to the Gettysburg map that lights up and shows different keystone points in battle. This one was showed many highlights of the city. Such as, the Gihon Spring, the palaces, the temple, and the northern gate. I was just thinking of how good God is to His people, just the fact that His city is still around.
We had a discussion inside the museum about why the temple was built on the north side of Jerusalem when that is the most vulnerable side. And Bill’s answer hit me like a ton of bricks. He said that probably there is a sense of non-logic to it, just because that was just one more thing to trust God in at the time. There is no real reason except that’s where God said to build it. Mount Moriah was also the place where Abraham was told to sacrifice Isaac. So there is a little bit of reason, but for the most part God told them to build it there. Our God is an amazing God.
After the model, we went to a church that is said to be built on the place where the Last Supper happened. This again was an enlightening time. Luke 22:7-20 gives the account of that night. Bill was talking about how it probably didn’t happen like DaVinci’s painting portrays it. They were probably at 4 or 5 tables sitting on cushions and there were most likely women and children there. For after all, Passover was a teaching opportunity. That was why the Jews would celebrate it. But no longer would it be celebrated in remembrance of the Egyptian Exodus, but now we do it in remembrance of Yeshua.
In Jeremiah 7:30-34 in talks about the Valley of Hinnom and what people were doing there. They were worshipping idols, and “burn[ing] their sons and daughter in the fire”, just a whole lot of evil going down there. And Jeremiah later records the Lord’s response to the evil: God’s judgment comes swiftly. So henceforth it will be known as the Valley of Slaughter. So Gehena in the NT would be known as a symbol, not a continuously burning fire. It couldn’t be for several reasons. One, there is no archeological evidence, such as ash, or burnt rocks, etc. Two, think about the trash of 2000 years ago… not much more than broken pottery or bricks. There wasn’t much flammability to the waste. And lastly, Gehena is on the western side of the city. The prevailing wind is from the west. Burning trash and a wind to blow it over the city would be a no go. So we can assume that this is a symbol of God putting an end to sin when it talks about where the worm never dies.
In conclusion to the OT walk we went to the City of David, which is outside the Old City walls that were built by the Turks. We saw a step stone structure and walked Hezekiah’s tunnel. The Gihon spring is a natural water source for the City of David and the tunnel was used to bring water into Siloam. The plan was for two groups of diggers to start at both sides, from the spring and from the pool, and to meet in the middle. We are talking about 1700 feet of digging through limestone. And it isn’t a straight line. There is an inscription of when the two groups met that was discovered by two boys from a neighboring Arab town, that describes the event of when the groups met. It is now in the Turkish museum. It talked about how when they were about 3 meters apart they could hear each other. What an exciting day that must have been!
Well, the water was freezing and the tunnel was definitely not made for broad shouldered men such as myself. A lot of ducking, scraped elbows, and a few knots in the head from standing up, but I would do it again in a heartbeat.
9.2.07
Land & Bible
Jerusalem OT Walk
Though the city is small, Jerusalem has something to offer every single time that you go. There is so much history and there are so many things to see. Today we really tried to focus on Old Testament happenings in the city. Some very thought provoking sights were King Hezekiah’s broad wall, the “Upper Room”, and the City of David.
We started out the day with a little devotional thought to set our minds on what we were going to be doing today. As usual we sang the song “Hodu Adoni” and it is quickly becoming my favorite Hebrew song. We left Moshe, our faithful bus driver, and headed towards Jaffa Gate, and when we entered the old city we made our way into the Jewish quarter. There, our first stop was at The Broad Wall, or Hezekiah’s wall. In recent excavations, archeologists have found what is believed to be what II Chronicles talks about in chapter 32 verse 1-5. In verse five it talks about how Hezekiah raised towers and outside the broken wall he built another wall, and he made weapons and shields. I was really thinking that whole time on the magnitude of the wall. First off, I’m not used to seeing any walled city, so seeing a wall that is twenty feet thick and made of these huge boulders is pretty amazing. This was in anticipation for the Assyrian king’s attack.
These walls were pretty much all left intact underneath the ground, and built on top of because of the strong foundation it provides. These are stones that are dating back a long time, so it is a good thing to build on a foundation that can take thousands of years of abuse.
We then stopped at a little gallery or museum that had a model of Jerusalem in Hezekiah’s time. It was similar to the Gettysburg map that lights up and shows different keystone points in battle. This one was showed many highlights of the city. Such as, the Gihon Spring, the palaces, the temple, and the northern gate. I was just thinking of how good God is to His people, just the fact that His city is still around.
We had a discussion inside the museum about why the temple was built on the north side of Jerusalem when that is the most vulnerable side. And Bill’s answer hit me like a ton of bricks. He said that probably there is a sense of non-logic to it, just because that was just one more thing to trust God in at the time. There is no real reason except that’s where God said to build it. Mount Moriah was also the place where Abraham was told to sacrifice Isaac. So there is a little bit of reason, but for the most part God told them to build it there. Our God is an amazing God.
After the model, we went to a church that is said to be built on the place where the Last Supper happened. This again was an enlightening time. Luke 22:7-20 gives the account of that night. Bill was talking about how it probably didn’t happen like DaVinci’s painting portrays it. They were probably at 4 or 5 tables sitting on cushions and there were most likely women and children there. For after all, Passover was a teaching opportunity. That was why the Jews would celebrate it. But no longer would it be celebrated in remembrance of the Egyptian Exodus, but now we do it in remembrance of Yeshua.
In Jeremiah 7:30-34 in talks about the Valley of Hinnom and what people were doing there. They were worshipping idols, and “burn[ing] their sons and daughter in the fire”, just a whole lot of evil going down there. And Jeremiah later records the Lord’s response to the evil: God’s judgment comes swiftly. So henceforth it will be known as the Valley of Slaughter. So Gehena in the NT would be known as a symbol, not a continuously burning fire. It couldn’t be for several reasons. One, there is no archeological evidence, such as ash, or burnt rocks, etc. Two, think about the trash of 2000 years ago… not much more than broken pottery or bricks. There wasn’t much flammability to the waste. And lastly, Gehena is on the western side of the city. The prevailing wind is from the west. Burning trash and a wind to blow it over the city would be a no go. So we can assume that this is a symbol of God putting an end to sin when it talks about where the worm never dies.
In conclusion to the OT walk we went to the City of David, which is outside the Old City walls that were built by the Turks. We saw a step stone structure and walked Hezekiah’s tunnel. The Gihon spring is a natural water source for the City of David and the tunnel was used to bring water into Siloam. The plan was for two groups of diggers to start at both sides, from the spring and from the pool, and to meet in the middle. We are talking about 1700 feet of digging through limestone. And it isn’t a straight line. There is an inscription of when the two groups met that was discovered by two boys from a neighboring Arab town, that describes the event of when the groups met. It is now in the Turkish museum. It talked about how when they were about 3 meters apart they could hear each other. What an exciting day that must have been!
Well, the water was freezing and the tunnel was definitely not made for broad shouldered men such as myself. A lot of ducking, scraped elbows, and a few knots in the head from standing up, but I would do it again in a heartbeat.
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