Life is a journey.
This tour of Israel is a microcosm of that journey. There is a beginning, an end and a time in between.
It is in the in-between time one hopes for personal transformation.This evening we entered the in-between time when Arie Bar-David taught us for the first time on this tour.
The day was a relaxing one, as we waited for the rest of the members of our tour to arrive. We visited a local mall, which was similar to malls in the United States except everything was in Hebrew, the McDonald’s was kosher and security guards check your trunk for bombs as you enter the parking garage and your purse as you walk through the security scanners.
After lunch we sat out on the balcony and talked some more about Jesus and the rock-kissers we saw yesterday, but it was after dinner that the tour began.
Arie pulled out a map of Israel and spent an hour, working with no notes, explaining to us how God used the geography of Israel as a metaphor for His plan of salvation and our journey from the slavery of sin to the promised land of His eternal presence.
I had never heard anything remotely similar to what Arie taught. It was deep without being speculative and convicting without being harsh. It was firmly grounded in the Word and was easily one of the best teachings I had ever heard.
If Arie lived in America he would have written a book and been on television and you all would have heard of him. In America we commercialize everything. We translate everything into money. By contrast, Aria remains here in a humble obscurity, perhaps the greatest Bible teacher the world’s never known.
I don’t know in what way we will all be different at the end of this tour, but I am certain we have entered the in-between time of transformation.
Tomorrow: Jerusalem. GS
Scott, you are right about Arie, I do not think Western Christianity comprehend what Arie teaches here in Israel. I like your comment, “perhaps the greatest Bible teacher the world’s never known.” Funny thing is how content and secure he is about that. He always tells me, I read same Bible as you do, and whatever you learned here in the land, go and tell others… Kinda like what Jesus did with His disciples… then again, he always model everything after Him. Make sense.
Great point. I’m sure you are right. It makes perfect sense.