This blog is also written on Sunday, but is actually about Friday.
Here it is, our final full day in Israel. Everything, including the morning group devotions, was a little bittersweet as we knew this was the last time. But we also knew that we're in for a great day.
We started out with an unexpected stop at the Israeli parliament and supreme court buildings. Raffi explained to us how they operate, and it was a good way to round out the trip as we'd been learning quite a bit about how Israel's current government and it's history in becoming a nation. In front of the parliament building we stopped and said a prayer for Israel and it's leaders.
Then it was off to the Yad Vashem museum, a museum about the holocaust. A very somber experience. A couple of years ago my wife and I toured a concentration camp in Germany. That was rough. Now we saw it all from Israel's perspective, reading the stories of the victims, hearing the names of children, seeing video of those who risked their lives to protect others... We weren't allowed to take pictures in the museum, so here's a shot of part of the main building (there are several buildings - the children's memorial was incredibly well done).
From there we crossed over into Palestinian lands for the second time in our 10 days (the first time was in Jericho). This time we got much more of a feel for Palestine. It really did feel like a different country even though it's right in the middle of Israel (Palestine is actually an autonomy, not a country). Our visit was to see Bethlehem where Christ was born. I think it's fair to say that it's not what any of us expected. A church has been built over the spot where the birth is supposed to have happened. The church is very decorated, it was packed...and it just felt all too much. Here's the church, the ornate decorations, the spot where Jesus is thought to have been born, and the spot 10 feet away where he's thought to have been placed in a manger.
There was one really cool part about this church. You have to enter through a small door, meaning you have to crouch to get through it. It serves as a reminder of where you are about to enter, and that you must stay humble.
Finally it was on to the last stop on our trip, and what better way to end it than at the garden tomb where Jesus was laid for 3 days and then raised to life. This was REALLY cool. The area was purchased by a church denomination in Britain a couple hundred years ago, and they still run it. Our Christian guide shared incredible information with us as to why they believe this is actual the crucifixion site, and it was hard to argue. I'll run through a few points. The most obvious is Golgotha, which means 'place of the skull'. Can you see a skull on this mountainside? There are actually three, but you may only be able to see two from this angle.
Next is where the hill is located, right alongside the road between Jerusalem and Jericho, a very prominent spot where everyone would see it. That was the common practice of the Romans - to put crosses in very public areas so that they would not be missed. Then we looked at the tomb itself. It was the tomb belonging to a rich man, which is what the bible says. Also in the bible is that after Jesus was resurrected, Peter runs to the tomb, sees the clothes, and runs back to tell the others. It doesn't say that he goes in the tomb. The layout of this tomb was a bit unusual with the preparation room on the left and the tomb itself on the far upper right, and the layout would have allowed Peter to see the spot where Jesus was laid without entering the tomb.
Also cool was the channel for the large rock to be rolled in front of the tomb. The rock is no longer there, but you can see how it would have worked.
After each visiting the tomb, we had a time of worship and sharing as we read the story of the crucifixion and the resurrection. This was a really powerful moment as we partook in communion together as one family, and encouraged each other not to forget all we'd learned when we returned to our normal lives (Deuteronomy 4:9).
Finally to round out the day and the trip, we got together in a room at our hotel and shared some laughs, some memories, and our highlights - what we'd learned, what stuck out to us, and how we had been changed. Then it was off to bed because we had an early morning...wake up call at 12:30am to catch our flight back home!
Here it is, our final full day in Israel. Everything, including the morning group devotions, was a little bittersweet as we knew this was the last time. But we also knew that we're in for a great day.
We started out with an unexpected stop at the Israeli parliament and supreme court buildings. Raffi explained to us how they operate, and it was a good way to round out the trip as we'd been learning quite a bit about how Israel's current government and it's history in becoming a nation. In front of the parliament building we stopped and said a prayer for Israel and it's leaders.
Then it was off to the Yad Vashem museum, a museum about the holocaust. A very somber experience. A couple of years ago my wife and I toured a concentration camp in Germany. That was rough. Now we saw it all from Israel's perspective, reading the stories of the victims, hearing the names of children, seeing video of those who risked their lives to protect others... We weren't allowed to take pictures in the museum, so here's a shot of part of the main building (there are several buildings - the children's memorial was incredibly well done).
From there we crossed over into Palestinian lands for the second time in our 10 days (the first time was in Jericho). This time we got much more of a feel for Palestine. It really did feel like a different country even though it's right in the middle of Israel (Palestine is actually an autonomy, not a country). Our visit was to see Bethlehem where Christ was born. I think it's fair to say that it's not what any of us expected. A church has been built over the spot where the birth is supposed to have happened. The church is very decorated, it was packed...and it just felt all too much. Here's the church, the ornate decorations, the spot where Jesus is thought to have been born, and the spot 10 feet away where he's thought to have been placed in a manger.
There was one really cool part about this church. You have to enter through a small door, meaning you have to crouch to get through it. It serves as a reminder of where you are about to enter, and that you must stay humble.
Finally it was on to the last stop on our trip, and what better way to end it than at the garden tomb where Jesus was laid for 3 days and then raised to life. This was REALLY cool. The area was purchased by a church denomination in Britain a couple hundred years ago, and they still run it. Our Christian guide shared incredible information with us as to why they believe this is actual the crucifixion site, and it was hard to argue. I'll run through a few points. The most obvious is Golgotha, which means 'place of the skull'. Can you see a skull on this mountainside? There are actually three, but you may only be able to see two from this angle.
Next is where the hill is located, right alongside the road between Jerusalem and Jericho, a very prominent spot where everyone would see it. That was the common practice of the Romans - to put crosses in very public areas so that they would not be missed. Then we looked at the tomb itself. It was the tomb belonging to a rich man, which is what the bible says. Also in the bible is that after Jesus was resurrected, Peter runs to the tomb, sees the clothes, and runs back to tell the others. It doesn't say that he goes in the tomb. The layout of this tomb was a bit unusual with the preparation room on the left and the tomb itself on the far upper right, and the layout would have allowed Peter to see the spot where Jesus was laid without entering the tomb.
Also cool was the channel for the large rock to be rolled in front of the tomb. The rock is no longer there, but you can see how it would have worked.
After each visiting the tomb, we had a time of worship and sharing as we read the story of the crucifixion and the resurrection. This was a really powerful moment as we partook in communion together as one family, and encouraged each other not to forget all we'd learned when we returned to our normal lives (Deuteronomy 4:9).
Finally to round out the day and the trip, we got together in a room at our hotel and shared some laughs, some memories, and our highlights - what we'd learned, what stuck out to us, and how we had been changed. Then it was off to bed because we had an early morning...wake up call at 12:30am to catch our flight back home!
The beauty of the Garden Tomb was such a contrast to the disappointing time in Bethlehem. What a lovely way to end our trip. This spot sums up our Christian religion. He is Risen!
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