Reflections on Israel

Reflections on Israel (in note form)

• Demanding land in terms of its natural terrain (generally rocky and dusty) and in terms of politics (have daily reminder of enemies via checkpoints, different guides depending on location, perimeter fences especially in and around Jerusalem).

• It isn't a naturally pretty land with lush colours.  The main colours are cream (of the rocks) and olive (dull) green of the trees and grass.

• In the country, donkeys are still ridden by shepherds (Bedouins) and camels are located at tourist sites.

• Israel is a country on the world atlas, yet in the detailed map there are regions within it that are Arab occupied territories (eg. Gaza, Jericho, Bethlehem, Ramallah - the latter three in the West Bank region).

• Non-Jews and non-Arabs are welcome amidst the Jew/Arab dynamic.  Made to feel very welcome by everyone in the tourist industry that I met (except security at the airports which is understandable). 

• Israel is in a demanding context - both in the time of Jesus and since then and probably before. It was not an accident that Jesus had his ministry in an external place that isn't beautiful and comfortable.  It is the same for us.  Our external context should be demanding and hard at times and we should expect this.  The peace is within you, through the Holy Spirit of Jesus.

• Through the Holy Spirit, the Gospel has spread to some of the ends of the Earth.  New Zealand, Canada and the USA for example in the last 150-200 years.  We are in the end times.  While in Israel, we saw 3,000+ years of history in the same place.

• None of us needed to go to Israel before we were born again at the ends of the earth.  Returning to Israel felt like the Holy Spirit is cyclical and deeply historical - sent out to the ends of the earth through missionaries and their descendants, and then returned in Christian tourists/pilgrims, only to be sent out again in these pilgrims.  It was and is powerfully enriching.  We are part of a grand meta-narrative.

• The survival of the Christian church, and of love and peace in Christians, throughout two centuries, against considerable odds, is outstanding. 

• Israel is surrounded by enemies, and there is emnity within.  Jesus said "Love your enemies".  There's a challenge!

• The sites of major events in the life of Jesus (eg. Church of the Holy Nativity in Bethlehem where he was born, Church of the Holy Sepulchre at Golgotha in Jerusalem where he died) are now dark, sombre churches.  The light of life was now within the local and visiting Christians and sometimes symbolised in much lighter adjacent churches.

• Evidence of 3,000+ years of human settlement is very evident through archeological sites (eg. Caesarea, Caesarea Philippi, Capernaum, Beit Shean, Masada).

• The significance of Jerusalem in world history.  The story isn't over yet.

• Going up to Jerusalem is true!  It's about one kilometre vertically up from the Dead Sea and the region of Jericho over a relatively short horizontal distance of about 10-15 kilometres.

• It's easy to visualise the wilderness after you have seen Israel (and Jordan)!

• Now it's easy to visualise travellers being robbed on the road to Jerusalem - the story of the good Samaritan.

• The faithfulness of God through preserving the Dead Sea Scrolls in the Qumran Caves - kept intact for 2,000 years for those who live now to read and to appreciate the integrity of the scriptures, particularly Isaiah.  Thanks be to the Essenes sect who valued the written word and faithfully copied ancient texts onto scrolls.

• The significance of water in a generally dry place.  Materially: Cisterns everywhere at old sites; rain tanks on the flat roofs; the Jordan River and the Sea of Galilee.  Of obvious spiritual significance too. Jesus is the living water, in Israel and around the Earth. Cool!