Closing the Gap of History

Israel - where History meets Prophesy

“Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature.... For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 

1 Samuel 16:7

A new opportunity has started in Jerusalem for Christians to learn Biblical history in a whole new way.  Our friend, David Nekrutman's organization - Center for Jewish Christian Understanding and Cooperation (CJCUC) - has launched a weekly Bible study for Christians, both those living in the Land and those just visiting, at the Bible Lands Museum.  Who better to teach Biblical history than Jewish scholars who study the text in the original language and share our love for this Holy Word? Their understanding can only broaden our perspective.  What we learn from them helps and confirms our faith in Yeshua (Jesus).

Not only that, but the studies are being held in a museum where we can not only study the text, but also SEE with our own eyes artifacts from the time period we are discussing.  It's a dream come true, and almost too much to contain.  What an honor and a privilege to attend these meetings each week and learn things we have never considered before.  If these teachings become available, we will let you know how to receive them.  And if you ever want to STAND where the Bible events took place....come visit Israel!!

Here are a few quotes from our first three studies:

"Learning God's Word is the highest form of worship."

"We pray for God to give us an addiction - a sweet tooth - for His Word."

In these studies we are going to "understand the Word of God from when the Words were actually introduced."

Being able to study at the museum and see the actual artifacts causes "the sense of proximity to an event to shrink" and we are in effect "closing the gap of history."

"The Bible is the manual for living on the planet and building His Kingdom." On earth as it is in Heaven... "Our mission is to bring the Kingdom of Heaven down."

Our second study was on David & Goliath (1 Samuel 17).  The Bible Lands Museum is getting ready to open a new exhibit in September with artifacts from an archeological sight in the valley where this battle took place, and dated from this time period. We're talking 3,000 year old artifacts, pre - First Temple!

Here are just a few tidbits from our study with Rabbi Wolicki:

The detail of the location provided in the text is not common.  Therefore, consider the geographical area of Israel (both now and during that time period) - the Elah Valley was a very strategic place (tan) for a battle - Philistines were on the coast (green) and the Israelites were in the central mountains (brown). See the green/tan/brown map below. 

Map of where the battle took place - Khirbet Qeiyafa.

Also, having so many details of both Goliath's and Saul's attire is not common.  Most descriptions in other Biblical events are not that detailed.

Consider that this event took place after David was anointed to be the future king of Israel, but Saul doesn't know that. The interaction between them reveals a lot about their character.

While Jonathan would have been the heir to the throne after his father, he loved David and put his cloak on him.

From the Bible Lands Museum website:

New Exhibition: In the Valley of David and Goliath

Have we found evidence of King David's footprints in the Elah Valley?
 

Tuesday | September 6,2016 

In the Elah Valley, between Azekah and Sokho - the setting of the famous biblical battle between David and 

Goliath – laid the ruins of mysterious ancient city on a hilltop known today as Khirbet Qeiyafa.

Who lived in this anonymous city when it was first built, during the time of King David? Could we have found 

the biblical Sha'araim – literally the city of two gates, mentioned in the Bible in the description of the flight of the 

Philistines following the battle between David and Goliath?

You will see the original finds from the city's ruins, its structures, gates, dwellings and many other remarkable 

artifacts.  Join us for an archeological adventure, where the fascinating finds that made international headline 

news will be on display for the first time. 

Please enjoy the pictures we took at the museum of the new exhibit that will open next month.  It was an honor to be given a private tour by the president of the museum and Rabbi Wolicki.  How can one fathom looking at pieces of pottery that are from a time period so long ago (3,000 years!) it almost feels like a fairy tale?? It truly does help "close the gap of history", bring it to life and cause you to learn the Bible in a new way.

Replica of the archeological site where the artifacts were found.
We hope to visit this site, and will post pictures when we do.

Can you even believe this??

What's another way of closing the gap of history?  Watching God fulfill His prophesy - and participating in it!

Then the Lord shall set His hand again the second time

To recover the remnant of His people who are left....

He will set up a banner for the nations, And will assemble the outcasts of Israel, And gather together the dispersed of Judah From the four corners of the earth."

Isaiah 11:11,12

"I will gather the remnant of My flock out of all countries where I have driven them, 

and bring them back to their fold; and they shall be fruitful and increase."  

Jeremiah 23:3

Christian Friends of Israel has a Distribution Center for new immigrants who have come "back to their fold" - the "outcasts of Israel" - the "dispersed of Judah."  One of the items our CFI DC provides new immigrants is "like new" clothing that we receive from both the United States and the United Kingdom.  

Last week we received a very large shipment from the US on a Friday morning.  The staff rose extra early that morning to arrive at 7 am to help unload the truck that arrived from the port bringing clothes donated to bless the new Israeli immigrants.  We prepared ourselves to unload 1,400 (mostly heavy) boxes.

The truck had the challenge of backing into our tiny little street off the main road.

Ready to cut the band that was put on in the US.

OH MY GOODNESS!!
That was everyone's reaction when we saw just how full this truck was!!

Our truck driver - he's a regular in bringing us our shipment.

Ok! Let's get started!!

We stack the boxes in groups of mens, womens, childrens, etc
As you maybe could guess, the womens group is by FAR the largest!

Praise the Lord!! We are done!!

However - we are not REALLY done.  We now need to bring all these boxes inside the building!  Our first goal is to get them off the truck, as we are charged by how long the driver stays there.

Some cars are blocked in...

And a motor bike is blocked in as well....

All those boxes must come through this gate.

Many of the boxes were already taken in when we took this photo.

Trying to make room for as many as we can.

Pack them high to the ceiling!

Hangers waiting for the new clothes.

No - this is NOT our storage room.  That room is FULL!!
This is the RECEPTION area of the distribution center - and it is now full of boxes too.
We will receive another shipment at the end of August, beginning of September....

4 1/2 hours later....we were done!!

This shipment had boxes of stuffed animals for children.

We give thanks to the Lord for He is good.  And we are grateful to be included in His plans and purposes for His people Israel.  Israel is not just a "land far away" of fairy tales from days gone by. It is a Land and people that are "fruitful" and "increasing" just as God said they would.  And the "days gone by" are literally being unearthed and rebuilt. 

"And they shall rebuild the old ruins, They shall raise up the former desolations, 

And they shall repair the ruined cities, The desolations of many generations."

Isaiah 61:4

As we read our Bibles, may we read it with new eyes - seeing the timeline of the Jewish people as continual, not ancient history.  God's not finished with this place or His chosen people, He's just getting started, and we are a privileged generation to watch the prophesies come to life before our very eyes.  The first pastor we ever had, 25 years ago in Michigan, made a statement that was ingrained in us deeply.  Keep your eyes on Israel....

"Has God rejected His people? By no means!...As regards election they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers.  For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable." Romans 11:1,28,29

God is closing the gap of history - His story.

In all His promises to the Jewish people, God spoke these Words:

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, 

says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, 

to give you a future and a hope."

Jeremiah 29:11

It started as a normal day

Thursday, June 30th - It started as a somewhat - normal day for Jim. He had three places to visit that day: a community in the south, an army base in the north near the Mediterranean Sea and an army commander in the Golan.  Well, okay, it may not be normal to have that many visits in one day and so far apart, but......

Leaving about 7:00 am, he set out to begin the day.  The visit to the south consisted of meeting a community leader and doing an interview with Yehuda Glick, who also lives in the same community. Yehuda spoke at our CFI conference last year, and is now the newest member of the Israeli Knesset (the legislative governing body of Israel).  On October 29, 2014, he survived an assassination attempt outside of the Begin Center in Jerusalem by a Palestinian terrorist.  Yehuda is an activist for religious freedom on the Temple Mount, as Jews are not allowed to pray when visiting their most holy site due to it also being the site of the Al Aqsa mosque and the Dome of the Rock - and ONLY Muslims are allowed to pray (Christians aren't allowed either) when visiting during the short entry hours twice a day.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yehuda_Glick

Yehuda Glick

Upon arrival, Yehuda introduced them to a Rabbi, the president of the Yeshiva (Biblical learning center). They shook hands with the Rabbi, a joyful man, and talked with him for a bit before setting up for the interview with Yehuda.  Before even beginning, Jim heard Yehuda say, "Oh no..." and everyone began to receive notifications on their phones of a terror attack.  

As the day went on, the details of the attack were grim.  A 17 year old Palestinian terrorist climbed over a security fence, sneaked into the home of a Jewish resident in Kiryat Arba (adjacent to Hevron), and stabbed a 13 year old girl to death in her bed.  The terrorist was shot and killed.  By 6:00 pm that evening, this beautiful young girl was buried by her grieving parents.  

What kind of evil could cause someone to commit such an act??? The kind that is bred into a person each day as they grow up learning to hate - taught hate by parents, community, and schools; where being a martyr is being a hero, and glorified by your family and community.  Where families of martyrs receive financial compensation from the government and roads named after the terrorist. Where they rejoice and pass out candies to celebrate the death of another Jew.

Hallel Yaffa - her name in English means "beautiful praise".

Hillel Yaffa's mother at the funeral.

http://www.timesofisrael.com/a-terrorist-murdered-my-daughter-in-her-bed-tearful-mother-says/

The horror began that morning, but would continue that day and into the next.

After Jim was through with the interview, he travelled to the north to a graduation ceremony at an army base.  Project David's Shield was providing shlukers (water back packs) to the soldiers who had completed their first 8 months of training.

After his visit with the soldiers, Jim headed still north to meet another commander who he needed to deliver hats to.  It was too late in the day to go to the army base, so the commander invited Jim to his home, and to stay for dinner. They enjoyed the relaxed time together that they wouldn't normally get to have, and got to know each other better.

That same evening, a little after 7:00 pm, another Palestinian terrorist stabbed two people in the central market of coastal city of Netanya, injuring both.  The terrorist was shot and killed.  

News video in English:

http://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/diplomacy-defense/118468-160630-israel-initial-reports-of-stabbing-attack-in-coastal-city-of-netanya

After a very long day, Jim arrived home around 11:00 pm.  It was an emotional, rollercoaster of a day.

The next day, Friday, during the morning, we had update notifications that another Palestinian terrorist attempted a stabbing attack against border police at the Tomb of the Patriarchs (where Abraham & Sarah, Isaac & Rebecca and Jacob & Leah are buried).  The female terrorist, who was shot and killed, was found to be from the same town - and is a relative - of the terrorist who murdered Hallel Yaffa the day before.

http://www.timesofisrael.com/relative-of-kiryat-arba-killer-tries-to-stab-cop-in-hebron-is-shot-dead/

We worked until 1:30 pm (we get off early on Friday, to prepare for Shabbat, as stores and transportation stop in the afternoon).  We had dinner plans that evening, so we went home to take a short nap before going out.

Right before falling asleep, we received yet more update notifications of a shooting at a vehicle near Hevron.  First information to come out was one dead and two wounded from gunshot wounds and the accident (the car lost control and flipped).  The husband was killed, and the wife is seriously injured from gunshot wounds. The terrorists have yet to be caught.

The Rabbi lived in Otniel, just south of Hevron - where the red marker is.

The son of the father that was killed.

After a short nap, we awoke to find out the details of the car shooting.  To Jim's shock and horror, he learned that the man that was killed was the Rabbi he had met at the yeshiva.  The joyful man he shook hands with.  Jim was just with this man the day before, and now he was murdered by a Palestinian terrorist.  The sorrow and pain is so real it hurts.  This man was the father of 10 children.  

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4822991,00.html

It had been two terribly long days, and yet we were invited to a commander's home for the Friday evening Shabbat meal.  To be invited to a Jewish home to share in this meal is always an honor.  Tal (whose name means "dew") and Jim have met a few times, and he recently asked us to come to his home.  We arrived at 7:30 pm to find that we were honored to not only share this evening with the commander, but his grandmother, parents, siblings and their children.  

After meeting and greeting the family, the father led us through a song and the prayers to welcome and bless the Shabbat (Sabbath).  Tal's mother's background is Moroccan, and boy did she lay out the most amazing feast for us that night.  There must have been about 20 different homemade dishes - and she had been cooking for two days!   

We spent the evening getting to know everyone - and them us - and discussing all sorts of topics in Israel, especially what had taken place that day and the day before.  Being Israeli, they had all served in the army (Tal still in the army) and shared many different views on what should/could be done to change the current situations.  While we ate and talked through the night, we believe it was the best place for us to be on this night - with the people, sharing their pain, understanding their challenges. It was an evening of love & joy, tears & frustration, laughter & questioning.   

And if all the attacks of the day and day before weren't enough, while we at dinner, at 11:00 pm, a rocket was fired out of Gaza into Israel.  Sirens went off in the affected area and families enjoying their Shabbat evening ran to their bomb shelters.  The rocket made direct contact with a kindergarten in in Sderot.  Praise God it was in the evening and no one was injured, although the building sustained damage.

Almost six hours after arriving, we said our goodbyes to our new family who we immediately fell in love with. With hugs and kisses we left to drive 45 minutes home - arriving a little after 2:00 am.  

While there have not been any more attacks since Friday, in checking our updates, there has been a threat of another.  A personal threat.  Against Yehuda Glick.  It was released right after Rabbi Miki Marc was gunned down.  You'll remember that the interview with Yehuda was at the Rabbi's yeshiva - they are good friends.  Well, the animated video created by the terrorist organization portrays Yehuda being gunned down as well, saying he is next.  He had already been determined a high profile target, and now has around the clock Knesset guard security.

Please, please be praying for the families who lost loved ones, for those recovering in the hospitals, for the Israeli government to make wise choices on dealing with these situations, and for our protectors - the army, police & security.  And last but not least, for the people of this nation, to have faith in God and not fear of the enemy, to heal in body, emotions and spirit, and to stay strong.

How??? How can we make this flood of terrorism around the world stop? If you follow the world news you know there are DAILY attacks going on.  Mass casualties.  And for those of you in the United States, it has come to your country in ways that you have not known before.  

There are practical ways that governments can take to deal with this threat.  As individuals we can pray - and NOT stick our head in the sand pretending it is not happening.  The world does not like absolute truths and is doing everything it can to protect tolerance.  Tolerance, however, will destroy the good in this world, as evil takes over.  

There's a scripture that we've been studying lately that has some much needed concepts in it.  

"Regard it all as joy, my brothers, when you face various kinds of temptations; for you know that the testing of your trust produces perseverance.  But let perseverance do its complete work; so that you may be complete and whole, lacking in nothing." 

James 1:2-4 (CJB)

First, we like how this version uses the word "trust" instead of faith - it brings an even deeper understanding.  Next consider the word perseverance.  

Perseverance: "Implies resolute and unyielding holding on in following a course of action. Perseverance commonly suggests activity maintained in spite of difficulties or steadfast and long-continued application: Endurance and perseverance combined to win in the end."

In reading its definition, it brings to mind other words needed for perseverance: obstinate and tenacious.

Obstinate: "Not easily controlled or overcome."

Tenacious:  "Holding fast, persistent, not easily pulled asunder."

If we are to make it through these times where evil is fighting to prevail, these are qualities each of us needs to "win in the end" and not be defeated. How do we accomplish this?

"But let perseverance do its complete work; so that you may be complete and whole, lacking in nothing." 

James 1:4 (CJB)