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Temple Mount

Our trip to Jerusalem a couple of weeks back culminated with an ascent up the Temple Mount. Perhaps for some of you that wouldn’t be a culmination of a few days in Jerusalem, but it was for me. Is it strange? Perhaps. But perhaps not as well. It depends on how you approach it and where you are in your walk of faith.

For me, my soul feels attached to that place. I can exist anywhere in Israel for months at a time and love every moment, as I have for weeks now, but it’s the Temple Mount that holds my heart. It’s a place that I expect to spend a lotof time some day in the future. It’s a place that prophecy speaks a great deal about and much that’s left incomplete, not least of which is Ezekiel’s portrayal of the Temple. My soul longs to see the completion of these things and I can see a daily advance toward that goal in the pages of modern events.

During our trip to Jerusalem we knew that the Temple Mount was on our list. It’s not a place Earlene currently enjoys, but for my sake and my heart, she consented to join me. It’s no surprise she doesn’t like it of course. We made the mistake of side-hugging each other in 2017 while a friend was taking a picture of us. The problem was, we were standing in front of the Dome of the Rock. The Temple Mount is a holy place and not just for the Jewish people. Americans, unfortunately, have a complete lack of understanding about “Holy” and that certainly included us at the time (I think we’ve learned a little since then?) As we were getting our picture taken an Arab man came running at us and scolding us for touching. That was probably one of the scariest moments of our collective lives. We didn’t realize it, but touching one another on the Temple Mount is highly frowned upon. That was our first experience and Earlene has a strong memory of the incident so she wasn’t excited about returning.

We arrived in Jerusalem late on Wednesday and we attempted to ascend the Temple Mount on Thursday as our first stop. As it turned out though, it was Muhammad’s birthday so the normal schedule was interrupted. The site is also closed on Friday and Saturday each week, so we ended up having to wait until Sunday to ascend the mountain. When Sunday came, we had to leave our rental apartment by 11:00 a.m. so we rushed to the Western Wall complex to ascend the mount once it was opened.

When we arrived at the security checkpoint, we had to go through the metal detectors as is the usual protocol. This time was a little different though. I have been twice before and in those instances we went through security and then ascended the long ramp up to the Moors Gate which is the only gate non-Muslims are allowed to enter. (Sidenote: there are TEN gates for Muslim believers to enter.) In this instance, however, another security guard stepped out in front of us and stopped us before we continued. He initially suggested that it was a pretty bad time to visit the Temple Mount and asked if we would come back another day. Not that we weren’t welcome, I think he was just concerned for our security. As it turns out, they just had a riot over the weekend because of all the issues going on in France. We were undeterred so he ran through a security briefing to ensure we knew the expectations – like not touching each other (I wish someone would have suggested *that* in 2017) and covering knees and shoulders and such. Once he finished running through that we were allowed to continue.

We ascended the ramp and got some good pictures of the Western Wall complex taking our time and looking at things in a way we weren’t able to previously. There’s usually a long line going up this ramp, but in this case the ramp was vacant. It was only us and the guards at either end.

Once on the Temple Mount we were on a sparsely-populated complex. There were so few people that it felt like we had the space to ourselves a couple of times. We had plenty of space and time to just stop and enjoy ourselves. For those who haven’t been there, I should explain that this area is not small (it is a 37-acre complex.). Even on our previous visits, when it was “crowded”, it was obvious the mountain could hold tens of thousands more worshippers. In this case however, there really were entire sections of walkway where we were entirely alone.

We were able to walk and pray and just enjoy the space that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob has set apart for His Name. One day this complex is going to be so full that it won’t be possible to move about so freely so I was enjoying my time where I could. It’s among the greatest blessings we’ve had since being here in the land and at times it felt like a private audience with the King of the Universe.

Why was it the culmination of our trip though? Aside from being the place that my soul yearns for, it’s because God used a nuisance to bring great blessing. In this year of COVID, more obnoxious than almost anything I’ve experienced in life, HaShem used the masks to provide blessing.

In normal years, prayer on the Temple Mount is highly restricted to only Muslim worshipers. If there is even suspicion of non-Muslims praying it tends to lead to a quick trip off the Temple Mount in shiny silver bracelets. It’s more show than anything as Israeli police are always striving to keep the peace, but an experience with metal bracelets isn’t high on my to-do list regardless.

Ah, but the year of COVID seems to have backfired in the adversary’s face in this regard. The evil powers of this world may be trying to prevent prayer on the Temple Mount, but this year they are spoken freely. Our mouths are covered the entire time so no one has any idea if you’re praying or not. I couldn’t resist the opportunity! I turned my face toward the center of the Mount and uttered my prayers. Quietly, yet audibly.

Why do I consider this important? It’s because Scripture considers it important. At the dedication of the first Temple in 1 Kings 8, Solomon mentions praying toward the Temple several times and in several fashions. Whether it is Jew or Gentile, Solomon beseeches HaShem to hear the prayer “when they pray toward this place.” It’s something I had never considered until a few years ago, but if one pays attention, it’s throughout Scripture. Even Jonah, from the belly of the great fish says “I will once more pray *toward* your Holy Temple.” There’s an importance God has given to praying toward this place and I desire to participate in that wherever possible.

Solomon realized the history and the prophetic future of his people and he included those understandings in his prayer. He said that when his people are outside the city “and they pray to Adonai toward the city” that He would answer their prayers. He even said that in exile if they “pray to you toward their land that you gave to their fathers,” He asked that HaShem would answer.

Several years ago, when we found ourselves among a new congregation it really surprised us and confused us when everyone in the assembly turned east for a portion of the service. It turns out, all these generations later, the Jewish people are still adhering to these words of Solomon. Wherever they are in the world, they turn toward Israel, Jerusalem or the Temple Mount to utter their prayers. So in my view, scripturally, there’s still benefit to turning toward the twice and future Temple and praying to our Father. When we are in the U.S., we turn east. When we are in Israel, we turn toward Jerusalem. When I’m on the Temple Mount, I turn toward the place I understand was the Holy of Holies. To have this opportunity to utter audible prayers toward the place that God dwelled and will dwell again…I couldn’t resist. And that is why the Temple Mount was the culmination of my time in Jerusalem.

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Serving a Tortured Generation

Last week we had an experience that was simultaneously humbling and exalting. Perhaps you know the type of event I’m talking about. I’ve personally experienced similar events in my life:  a promotion a work that I felt others were better suited for, a leadership role in our congregation that I felt entirely unworthy to fill, the honor of being a groomsman at weddings or being the person to receive a phone call seeking life-altering advice. There are countless events that bring out that introspection and hesitation where I’ve wondered if I am the appropriate person for the task.

Few things in life would rank higher on my list of impactful events than what we experienced last week. We were invited to help with a “Shalom House” which is a ministry that specifically caters to survivors of the Holocaust. During our time with these incredible people we were blessed to serve them a meal and participate with them in some worship. While our friends translated, we exchanged heartfelt words and gifts and even received the occasional fist bump. As with so many things during our journey in the land, no words seem sufficient to describe the experience. We were given a precious opportunity to serve a generation of people who were tortured simply because of their genealogical origins.

Due to COVID restrictions and fears, this Shalom House gathering was different from normal. This is the first time they had been able to host anyone in months. They were still recreating the proverbial wheel in a few ways in order to maintain adherence to current COVID guidelines which included hosting the entire gathering outdoors and serving food in single-serving containers. They were also limited to 15 survivors in order to allow for sufficient staff and distancing requirements. In spite of the precautions, the time was touching and nearly elicited tears from both Earlene and I several times. Ok…fine. In truth I was the one that cried and she managed to hold it in. Make fun if you need, but the experience was overwhelming.

The survivors in this group were from a Russian-speaking background and from various countries of origin. For those from Russian speaking countries, in many cases their persecution didn’t end with World War II. It continued. They lived through multiple governments dictating their lives and the allowable movements with entire nations hating them for the perceived crime of being Jewish. It was only in 1989 that they were finally able to begin their mass emigration south to Israel. It was only then that their hopes of escaping the persecution would come true.

I’m sure that you have experienced difficulties this year as everyone has, but your plight likely has no comparison to that of a holocaust survivor. Their past has included more torture and harsh treatment than most of us can imagine. This year, they are receiving nightmarish flashbacks. Governments, both in Israel and around the world, are dictating whether or not they can leave their homes. They are taking their jobs by force. They are shutting down businesses for the crime of opening their doors in an effort to make a living. These survivors are hearing through the news that if they choose to travel outside their homes they will be fined and punished. Some are being denied proper medical care due to overrun hospitals and clinics. Many are being distanced from their family, friends and neighbors. For you, these things may sound “prudent” depending on your stance on this divisive topic. For a holocaust survivor, they are reliving what they experienced as children and what they experienced as young adults in Russia or their ex-Soviet country of origin.

If that wasn’t enough, these poor people also hear through the news how New York and other “safe havens” in the United States are targeting Jewish communities for being super spreaders of a virus. They are hearing about the rise in anti-Semitism abroad and wondering what the future holds for their families. You may choose to believe whatever the news tells you, but these people have flashbacks of a time when their families’ businesses were falsely accused of tax evasion, theft, larceny and any number of other false accusations. For a holocaust survivor to live through this year of COVID, is to relive history.

However, in this time of darkness for many of these survivors, they have not given up hope. The survivors we met last week were so moved that our small group of servants chose to spend our time with them. They’ve been isolated for so long this year that it has become all too easy to believe that they have been forgotten. In a world with so much uncertainty and hate, these people don’t want to feel abandoned again. To have another person loving on them is a gift and a blessing. Here, they live among their people, but that’s not the case in other countries. You may have holocaust survivors in your area as there are still many among us. If not, you almost certainly have people who have experienced more hardships as a result of COVID-19 than you have. How are you showing them that they are not alone? How are you comforting others in spite of your own suffering? Are you participating in condemning these innocent people for their religious gatherings or are you participating in loving them regardless of what the media is saying?

The events unfolding in 2020 are not about COVID-19. The issues at hand this year are steering the direction of the impulses of the people. We have seen the stake of division that is being pummeled into the heart of the country and the world. But we have a choice in how we react to this division. Will we reach across the divide and bring healing?

History repeats. When the chasm of time comes full circle, will you participate in love or hate?

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Jerusalem

We’ve been in Jerusalem since Wednesday. I’ve been here twice before and this time is entirely unique. It’s still a delight to be in Jerusalem, of course, it’s just different.

The other two times the experience was filled with crowds. In the streets of the Old City we would be squeezing through crowds standing shoulder to shoulder. At every turn there was a merchant yelling after us trying to get us to enter their shop and a restaurant filling the air with the smell of their delicious food. There was no silence or calm; the streets were filled with humanity.  

This time, most of the streets are empty. Some shops are open in the Old City, but very few. I can only recall the smell of fresh bread and nothing else wafting into the street from the local eateries. We were able to roam several streets that were entirely vacant with the only sound coming from pigeons flapping their wings. The merchant streets are actually quite beautiful and colorful in many instances. There’s still a vibrance to them in spite of their vacancy.

There was a stark contrast between the merchant streets and the areas where people live though. If we stepped off the main paths and into the areas where people live, we once again see life! Prophecy is still thriving! As children were running and playing, the prophecy of Zechariah came to mind. In chapter 8 HaShem tells us that “once more old men and old women will sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with his staff in his hand because of his age. The streets of the city will be full of boys and girls playing in the streets.” (Zech 8:4-5)

In spite of the year of COVID dampening the travel industry, this place still has life. HaShem is still fulfilling His promises. If we step outside the walls of the Old City and into greater Jerusalem, those verses carry the reality into a grand scale. A population that once was less than 10,000 Jews has now become 850,000. Strolling the streets of Jerusalem revealed many children playing and the men and women with their canes as Zechariah promised. People rushed about running errands and living life.

During our time at the Western Wall we watched several bar mitzvahs. In spite of everything these families still went about celebrating these children becoming participants of the covenant. These events draw entire families out to celebrate as they dance, sing, blow trumpets and hold a chuppah over their child. These celebrations carry some deep prophetic allusions with the trumpets and chuppah. In spite of a media storm trying to convince people to be afraid, they continue to celebrate the milestones of life.

Across the street outside the walls of the Old City we were able to visit the City of David. The calm absence of tourists gave us plenty of time to reflect on what it means to see this archeological site. Even though this year has stopped tourism, the Antiquity Authority is still working to bring the City of David out of the dirt. Why is that important? It’s helping to fulfill even more prophecy! The City of David is the ancient city that David would have built and where his palace would have been. They have found astounding evidence at this site to corroborate that.

Two prophecies come to my mind when I look at this site. In Isaiah 52:2 God speaks over Jerusalem saying “Shake of the dust and arise! Be enthroned, O Jerusalem.” I’ve visited this site three times now and it is continuing to shake off the dust. Ancient Jerusalem is arising from the dust and one day it will be enthroned in all its glory.

Of note at this site is the palace. They have models and a fantastic light show in the evenings (during regular non-COVID times, of course) to show what it would have looked like before it was destroyed. This is the site where ancient kings of Israel once dwelled. More importantly, this is where *the* King will dwell and that brings up the second prophecy that comes to mind. This one can be found in Jeremiah 30:18 where God once again is speaking over Jerusalem and saying “I will restore the fortunes of the tents of Jacob and have compassion on his dwellings; the city will be rebuilt on its mound and the palace shall stand where it used to be.”

In spite of the year of COVID that seems to have so many petrified and wondering what terrible thing comes next, God is still working. HaShem is still comforting His people and raising up the banner among the nations to call them home. He’s still performing miracles, even if we don’t recognize what is happening before our eyes. If we allegorize it, we miss it. If we read it and accept what it says we may just see a city shaking off its dust and arising from its mound.

As I was confirming the “address” of the Zechariah verse, it struck me that the following verse (v. 6) seemed to fit well with the time we’re living in. “It may seem difficult in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, but will it also be difficult in my eyes?” It’s been a really hard year for this country that depends so much on tourism. For God, it seems as though He’s at ease and setting the stage for His next great work. How shall we respond? Should we be scared of what the world fears or awestruck by the wonders HaShem is performing before our eyes? It occurred to me to check other translations of the same verse and in many instances, it speaks of the amazement the remnant has rather than the difficulty. In others it speaks of the remnant marveling at these events. When life seems difficult, perhaps we should try a different translation or in other words, try a different viewpoint. You may discover the beauty and wonderous acts of God amid that suffering.

In a time where the 4.5 million annual tourists are absent from this country, the 7 million+ diaspora Jews are taking a new look at emigrating home. Something is afoot in the Kingdom. How you respond and react simply depends on what you’re focusing on.

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Preparation Day

Over the past several weeks we’ve been gifted with a unique view into Israeli culture. It’s a view that we don’t receive when we’re here touring the Land as we rush from place to place with little time to rest in between. I’ve experienced Israel twice before and both times were incredible, life-changing experiences. But, both times left little time to meet the Living Stones of Israel and little time to experience the rest that’s available. This experience has been entirely different.

One of my favorite days each week has become Preparation Day – more commonly known to the rest of the world as Friday. In Israel, living with a family who cherishes the Sabbath, we have received a true vision of what Preparation Day looks like in a Scriptural sense. I’m left wondering how Earlene and I can incorporate it into our own lives when we settle back into the American culture we’re used to. How do we embrace this and make it part of our life rather than leaving it behind when God sends us home?

Preparation Day is meant to prepare the home for the Sabbath. It’s meant to make all the necessary arrangements so that the entire home may enter into a time of rest, restoration and worship for the entirety of the Sabbath – Friday sundown to Saturday sundown. This is something Earlene and I are used to of course, but only to a point. We have been observing Shabbat (the Sabbath) for five years now, but we haven’t really taken in the idea and the heart of Preparation Day. That lack of preparation inevitably negatively impacts the desire to enter into a full rest on Saturday. We still had to figure out our meals each week and because of our service to our community, true rest was a rarity.

While we’re here we watch how the entire home is busy all day on Friday. Ashley, the wife of the family we’re living with, spends a large portion of the day cooking the elaborate and beautiful five-star meal that will provide the food for Friday evening and Saturday lunch. As Scripture teaches us, she is preparing a “double portion” in anticipation of the Sabbath (Ex 16). She spares no energy in this preparation as she is providing for both the family and her King whom she is honoring for Shabbat. Micha’el, the husband of the couple, spends some of his day preparing a teaching for those that he helps to embrace Shabbat and the weekly Torah portion. The children usually spend their day watching videos that help them learn more about Shabbat and other aspects of honoring God – of course in between playing. Earlene and I have fallen into a routine of helping to clean the house before we enter into Shabbat.

If chores have gone undone during the week for any number of reasons the families around us are rushing to complete them before sundown. Laundry dries on many area balconies and most people can be seen cleaning their homes, brushing their broom full of debris out the door and vacuuming balconies and trimming gardens. It’s a full fledge preparation! On a walk around the neighborhood you can barely pass a home without catching a delightful scent wafting through the air as they all prepare their Sabbath meals. The more observant families shower and clean themselves just before sundown in an effort to honor HaShem when He tells the people to wash and change their clothes to sanctify themselves for their meeting with God (Ex 19).

In town, the stores and parking lots are full for their busiest day of the week. A mixture of excitement and frustration fills the air. Some are joyously preparing for the Sabbath while others are angry at the crowds. Most families rush to the market to purchase any necessary items as they make final preparations for their Shabbat meals and rest. At 2:00 p.m., or thereabout, the country, as a nation, shuts down and rests to honor the God of their ancestors. It’s all in preparation for worshiping the Great King, God Almighty, and for the Believers – Yeshua the Messiah.

On Saturday, if enough food was prepared on Friday, a hotplate is available to set the food on a few hours before lunch and one must simply set the food on the plate and allow it to warm before the lunchtime meal. As some have described this to me in the past, I thought of it as burdensome or maybe “over the top” – but as I’ve watched it, it’s beautiful and natural and during Shabbat, it’s simple and restful. Food preparation is completely minimized leaving more than enough time to spend with family and time to worship.

The picture is a stark difference from what we see in the United States among the hubbub of life during weekends. There is no rest. Everyone thinks they need to perform their chores every day of the week and we don’t plan out our meals to fully embrace a Sabbath rest. We are busy living life and exhausting ourselves with no regard for separating the holy and common. Even for those of us that have embraced the Sabbath, unfortunately, the differences are overly apparent.

I can’t help but see a larger picture of the Kingdom in this as well.

From an eschatological view (a prophetic view), how are we as the Body of Messiah spending Preparation Day? One thing the Sabbath represents is the coming Kingdom where the Messiah will set up His Kingdom with His throne in Jerusalem. In the grand scheme of Scripture, the 1,000 year reign represents the Seventh Day or perhaps it’s the other way around with the Sabbath Day representing the millennial reign of Yeshua.

Most Believers are reading the signs of the times and feel we are incredibly close to Yeshua’s return. If that’s the case, that means we are in the midst of Preparation Day. That means we should be spending the vast majority of our time preparing for the Sabbath/the Kingdom. Most Believers I’ve talked to during 2020 see some pretty significant birth pangs through the historically profound events of the year, the year of Coronavirus. The King is coming soon. If not in our generation, I struggle to see it not being the next. For my own reasons and from my own study, at this point, I think “the generation” that won’t pass away before His return may be the generation of the holocaust. That generation is late in their life and so I am left with thinking, if that is accurate, I would guess we’re less than 30 years away from the conclusion of this “day” in history and we’ll be moving into the Seventh Day with our Messiah sitting on His throne in Israel.

If you are reading this on Friday, what are you doing to prepare for tomorrow? Are you busy preparing for your day of rest and worship?

From the bigger view, are you busy preparing for the Kingdom daily? Or are you taking part in a generation as Noah saw that busied themselves with self-indulgence while literally missing the boat?

These things have already been written. How are you participating? 

Shabbat shalom!

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Hello!

Never underestimate the power of “hello.” I wander through the world and walk streets and I say hello to people that I pass along the way. In Israel, we walk around our neighborhood and we get to say “shalom” to people as we pass. Not only are we saying “hello” to them, it’s also an opportunity to literally speak blessing into people’s lives by saying “shalom.”

The word for “hello” here is also a word of blessing and it represents the fullness of life. Not just peace or happiness, but really the fullness of ones being. It’s a deep and meaningful word that the right person could no doubt write an entire book about just to expound its meaning.

While Earlene and I were out for an evening walk yesterday we were up to our usual antics saying “shalom” to everyone we passed. Sometimes they have headphones in as they exercise and some flat out ignore us and offer no response. Others gives us strange looks and quietly respond. Some offer an alternate greeting of “erev tov” or “boker tov” if we are walking in the morning. It’s an eclectic mix of greetings or the absence thereof.

Last night was a little different though. It was the end of an exceptionally busy day for us here in Israel. I was sore from helping a family unload their shipping container as they had just moved to Israel a couple of weeks ago, but Earlene convinced me to take a stroll anyway. We were only a few houses from ending our walk and ran across a man holding his dog. It was a small dog and almost looked like he was preventing the dog from barking at us as we passed.

As we do with everyone, we said “shalom” and he quickly responded with a shalom in return. We were about five paces beyond him and he asked us “where are you from?” We responded that we are from the United States and he said “you definitely aren’t from here, because you greet people on the street.” He spoke of how it warmed his heart with appreciation.

We began to chat a little more and exchanged a few different bits of information. He’s from South Africa and lives nearby with his family. He guessed we were here because of our love of the people and the Lord. By the end of the discussion the man was saying we should come by for coffee and talk with him and his wife more. We exchanged numbers and went about our way excited to build another new relationship here in Israel. We had confirmed during the conversation that he didn’t know anyone that we are currently in contact with, which in this village so far seems rare. Everyone seems to know everyone else. In no uncertain terms we’re excited that we were blessed with a second divine appointment for the day. (See Earlene’s post “Itsik” to read about the first.)

Yesterday was by far the busiest day we’ve had thus far in Israel. By the end I was exhausted and pushing myself to study Hebrew before I went comatose for the night. The day began early as we delivered a package for a Holocaust survivor by 8:30 a.m., had our first unexpected divine appointment with Itsik, helped a family prepare 200+ love packages for more Holocaust survivors, helped our neighbors unload their shipping container (meeting several people in the process), and closed the day with our second unexpected divine appointment. The series of events that God leads us through is often confusing, but it’s continuing to be awe inspiring and fun along the way.

As Earlene’s post “Water” suggests, we’ve been in the calm waters for a time while we’ve been in Israel’s lockdown. In some respects, it looks as though HaShem is slowly reintroducing us to the rapids of life in preparation for the season ahead. We are both excited to continue meeting more people and really getting to know this land, her people and their language.