Category: Kingdom History

We are back home.

The trip home was considerably longer, nearly 18 hours of flying.

To pass the time, I watched four movies. One about a dysfunctional man who became very powerful (J. Edgar), another a comedy about revenge for a broken promise (Oceans 13), a third about a man trying to find contentment within a dysfunctional family (Fireflies in the Garden) and the fourth about a girl and her family seduced by a man who a appeals to their worst desires (An Education).

Watching theses movies was a sort of culture shock, like getting into a cold shower after a hard workout. While in Israel we watched almost no television. There was no time. Each morning I awoke early, read the Bible, met the others for breakfast, after which we left immediately to tour to study the people and places of the Bible. When we returned in the evening, we met for dinner and to discuss what we had learned that day, after which I blogged and went to bed. The world seemed far away. Continue reading “Israel Tour Journal: Epilogue”

Today was our last day touring.

At the Road to Emmaus we learned how the travelers on the road with Jesus finally recognized Him.

At Zorah, west of Jerusalem, where Sampson lived and fought with the Philistines, we learned what parenting mistakes bred rebellion in Sampson and why he is not a Biblical character we should look to as a role model.

At lunch we learned why you should not put olive oil on schwarma when it is wrapped in a tortilla. We learned this by experience with no help from Arie. The manager was nice enough to offer to clean up the table.

At the Valley of Elah we learned about leadership by understanding the topography and dynamics of the battle in which David killed Goliath. We learned this from a mountain overlooking the battlefield. Continue reading “Israel Tour Journal: Day 9”

Today was the Sabbath, celebrated here by Jews and many Christians on Saturday.

It was our most relaxing day thus far.

After breakfast, we watched a movie on Herod the Great. We then attended the worship service here at the Yad Hashemona.

We worshipped with Jewish believers and the Christians from all over the world who are staying and working here.

The worship was was in Hebrew, and the pastor preached in Hebrew but translated into English. It was an extraordinary experience to worship Jesus alongside Jewish believers. But it was as right as it was rare. Continue reading “Israel Tour Journal: Day 8”

Jesus has been teaching 5,000 people all day.

When they get hungry He multiplies five loaves and two fish into an all-you-can eat buffet, and all eat until they are full.

Jesus then commands His disciples to go ahead to the other side of the Sea of Galilee to Bethsaida, while He heads up the mountain to pray.

Then while on the mountain, sometime between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. Jesus sees His disciples out “in the middle of the sea . . . straining at the oars.” (Mark 6:33-52).

Continue reading “Israel Tour Journal: Day 7”