Final Day - Garden Tomb

Today was our final day and we spent the morning visiting Gordon's Calvary and the Garden Tomb.  It was a beautiful, cool morning with not as many as normal visiting the Garden Tomb.  Therefore, it was not as crowded as usual.  It was so special to have a british guide explain the history of the discovery Gordon's Calvary and the Garden Tomb.  

We saw the place of the skull that was outside the gate of the city and beside a busy road where Jesus was likely crucified.  It was very near an empty tomb of a rich man and in an area where there was a huge cistern that would have supplied water for a Garden.  We all had the privilege of entering the tomb as Peter did and observing that it is empty!  "He is not here, for He is Risen!"  Matthew 28:6.  I know that is true because God's Word says so.  I don't believe it any more now than I ever have believed it, but it certainly is a blessing to be able to see the empty tomb and the remains of a 2000 year old metal spike that is stuck in the outer wall that would have been used to seal the tomb.

We also went to the Holocaust museum.  It is a very powerful and sobering museum.  We visited the one in Washington a few years ago, and found this one equally overwhelming.  

After a final meal as a group we said goodbye to our tour guide Reuben.  I had opportunity to witness to him again today.  Please pray for the Lord to convict him of His sin and need for a Savior and that Jesus is n fact the Messiah.  We are already taking with him about dates to return with another group next year.  I would love to come again and bring others to see the land of our Savior and His people.

We are now at the airport in Tel Aviv waiting to board our flight to New York and on to Chicago.  In some ways it is hard to leave, but we are ready to get home to see our family and be in church on Sunday.  I can't wait to begin to tell every one about what we learned.

Pray for our safe trip home and quick adjustment to the jet lag.

Jerusalem!

What an absolutely wonderful day!!  The weather was perfect, but insignificant to what all we saw today.  I can't begin to describe the feeling of entering Jerusalem last night and then driving to the Old City today.  It is a beautiful city and yet still a very needy city that our Savior wept over.  We began by going to the Temple Mount and entered through a security check point.  The city is very divided.  The muslims have a dominating presence on the mount.  We saw however how the top of the mount, where the temple likely was is off to the side of where the Dome of the Rock is located.

It was a very emotional time to visit the Mount of Olives and  Garden of Gethsemane where our Savior prayed and the disciples slept!  I read from Luke 22 in the Garden and again had trouble reading.  The Golden gate of the city is in clear view from the Garden.  Later we went to Caiphas house and walked the stone path Jesus would have walked on his way to be tried by Caiphas.  We went in to the pit where Jesus spent the night in Caiphas house after Peter denied  Him.  Believe it or not a cock crew as we walked up to a statue reminding of Peter's denial.  In the pit we sang  of our Savior and I read Psalm 88.  It is a powerful place!!  It is hard to comprehend the Love of our Lord to suffer as He did for us! I wish our whole church family could visit this place! 

We also visited the upper room where our Savior had the last supper with his disciples and washed their feet.

We had a wonderful service in the hotel tonight with songs and testimonies of how the Lord has spoken to hearts along the way today.

The Lord answered prayer and gave me a good opportunity to witness to our Jewish guide, Reuben, at the end of the day today.  Pray for his salvation.  He is very friendly, kind, and an excellent guide, but needs his eyes opened to the deity of Christ!  He knows history and the Scripture, but does not know my Savior.

Meggido and Mt. Carmel

It was almost sad to leave the Sea of Galilee today, because there is so much more to see, but we must keep moving because there is so much more to see!

Today we saw Bethshan where Saul's body was hung on a wall after he had been slain by the Philistines.  We then went to the Spring of Harod where Samuel selected is 300 men to fight.  Then up to Meggido where many O.T. battles were fought and overlooked the Valley of Jezreel where the Battle of Armageddon will be fought when our Lord returns!  It is an amazing battlefield!!  It would take at least six photos pasted together to give the panoramic view of this place.  A  We do look forward to our Lord's return and the defeat of His enemies.

We also went up to Mt. Carmel where Elijah defeated the prophets of Baal.  I had the privilege of reading Scripture and "preaching" where Elijah took his stand and God answered his prayer.  What a blessing to remember that Elijah was a man of like passion as we are and he prayed and God mightily answered.  We too can pray and have God answer our prayers.  Mt. Carmel also overlooks the Valley of Jezreel.  An Israeli Army airport is in the midst and we saw several fighter planes taking off and flying overhead.  The stage is being set for our Lord.

We went on to Caesarea by the Sea and saw the ruins of the regional capital of Rome.  We were reminded how the great Roman Empire fell due to the corruption and excess from within.

Finally we made our trip up to Jerusalem!  We look forward to great things in Jerusalem.  We are staying at a beautiful hotel in the heart of the city.