Village Schools of the Bible

REFLECTIONS FROM THE HOLY LAND
by Max Frazier, Jr.

Of all the many places in the world a person could visit, perhaps no place evokes the wide range of emotions as does the Holy Land. Words cannot adequately express what a person feels when he steps off the plane at Ben-Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv and his feet touch ha aretz, the land. And it is those emotions that carry one through a visit to the fascinating country, rich in history and tradition.

I would like to share with you some of my emotional reflections during our recent Village School Study Tour of Israel. Perhaps they might inspire you in your own pilgrimage with Christ.

The Sea of Galilee

The Jordan River, which begins at an underground spring near the ancient city of Dan, flows southward into the Sea of Galilee. This sea, which is really a lake, is set like a great bowl among the high mountains that surround it. The sea itself sets some seven hundred feet below sea level, so any trip to the shore is always a trip downward.

It was here, along the shores of the Sea of Galilee, that the ministry of Jesus was accomplished. It was here that He fed the five thousand with the five little loaves and two little fish. It was here that He healed the demon possessed man by driving the demons into a herd of pigs that were then drowned in the Sea. And it was here that Jesus walked upon the waters to His disciples who were in the midst of a frightening storm.

As I did some preparation for my time along the Sea of Galilee, I was amazed to discover that the ministry of Jesus started and ended with one person in particular. That man's name was Peter. It was while walking along the shores of the Sea, observing the various fishing boats and their crews hard at work mending the nets, that Jesus issued His invitation to Peter to come and join Him in becoming a fisher of men. The Bible records the fact that Peter and his brother Andrew left their nets and followed Him (Mark 1:16-18).

A lot happened to Peter beside the Sea. You might remember that it was Peter who attempted to walk on the water out to Jesus on that night of the storm. It was Peter who, when fishing, caught a fish with a coin in its mouth, just as Jesus had said.

And, the final event of Jesus' ministry here on earth occurred along the shores of this beautiful Sea. It was after His resurrection. The disciples had gone back to Galilee and had resumed their careers in fishing. But then, Jesus appeared and excitement filled their hearts - well, all but one - that of Peter. While the others ate breakfast with Him, John records that Peter was off counting the dead fish. Jesus came to him and asked him three times if Peter loved Him. This was, if you will, Peter's commissioning service (John 21:15-17).

As I walked along the shores of the Sea and rode in a boat across its waters, these stories suddenly came alive. The Sea and its surrounding hillsides had not changed much since the time of Jesus. If one was silent, one could almost hear His footsteps there along the shore.

Mount Carmel

To the west of the Sea of Galilee, and rising some 1,700 feet above the shores of the nearby Mediterranean Sea, are the mountains of Carmel. These mountains are rugged in their beauty, and to ascend to the summit, even in a bus, was quite an adventure. When one reaches the summit, a view of the Holy Land that is indescribable in words, lies before him. As one surveys the miles of countryside that can be observed, literally hundreds of Bible stories come alive before his eyes.

We came to Mount Carmel, not so much for its view, but to remember a daring prophet by the name of Elijah. It was here, on its summit, rising high so that all the people living in Israel might see and know, Elijah challenged the wicked King Ahab and the 850 false prophets of Baal to a contest of fire.

What a scene it must have been that day! Ahab, dressed in his regal robes, followed by the hundreds of men hired in the service of Baal. Eagerness was written upon their faces as they anticipated the soon demise of their nemesis - that shabbily dressed old man who brought up the rear. And yet, as one examined the face of that old man, there was not one hint of fear or anxiety at all. He climbed that narrow pathway with great confidence.

Soon the altar of Baal was built, the sacrifice killed and placed upon that altar, and prayers were made, first with a sense of confidence, but then, as the hours began to vanish and the snide remarks from the old prophet began to increase, these men of Baal became desperate. Finally, Elijah had seen enough. It was time for his turn. With confidence he built his altar. There was no one who helped him move the twelve stone boulders into place. No one stepped forward to assist him with the slaughter of the sacrifice or to help hoist it upon the altar. Then, to everyone's amazement, he took out a small spade and began to dig a trench around the altar and then demanded that it be filled with not one, but twelve barrels of water, water which was precious because of the long famine and drought. Finally, Elijah prayed a very simple prayer, not of condemnation of the people for their unbelief, but of affirmation of the power of God. Well, you know how the fire fell from heaven.

Panic now seized the false prophets as they were led back down the steep pathway to the valley below, this time with Elijah in the lead. There he executed them and cast their bodies into the ravines of the valley. Then he climbed back to the top of the mountain and began to pray for rain. God answered in a marvelous way to provide for the needs of His people.

Mount Carmel is truly one of the very special places in Israel, for it is the story of the impact one person, truly committed to God, can have upon others. It is also a place where the power of God was demonstrated in a miraculous way. While there, I was reminded that that same power is available to each of us today. All we need to do is to draw upon it even as Elijah did.

Jerusalem

Jerusalem is one of the most fascinating cities in the world. Having a population of only 650,000 people, it hardly ranks as a major city, at least it cannot compete with the New York's or Chicago's or London's of today. Yet, historically, the ground upon which the city of Jerusalem lies, has seen more bloodshed than any other city in the world. Its roots go back to the days of Joshua and the conquest when the Jebusites, living there, could not be driven out of that place. Finally, David captured the city and made it into his capital, and the city has had the title, the city of David, ever since.

Jerusalem is a blending of the old and the new. One can see high rise apartment buildings and also small flat roofed homes that look very much like those a person saw in his childhood Sunday school papers. Transportation can be provided by modern buses or by donkeys. The open-air markets in the Arab Quarter of the Old City are like taking a step back into time. The sights, sounds, and even smells of Jerusalem truly are unforgettable.

But, at the heart of the conflict for Jerusalem is religion. The three great monotheistic faiths claim Jerusalem as their city. For Islam, Jerusalem is the place from where the Prophet Mohammed ascended into heaven. The Dome of the Rock and the El Aksa Mosque were built on the Temple Mount in memory of that occasion. For Christians, Jerusalem is the birthplace of Christianity, for it was here that Jesus Christ was crucified, buried, and rose again. It was from here that Jesus ascended into heaven. And it was in this city that the fires of Pentecost fell upon that newly birthed Church, which began a ministry that set the world upside down. For the Jews, this city has been their capital since the days of David. It was the place where their Temple to God stood. And it will be the place where their Messiah will come and reign, bringing them the peace they have long sought.

Since returning from Jerusalem, I have paid more attention to those words of the Psalmist David, when he commanded that people pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6). You and I need to remember this important city before the Lord. We need to pray that God would open the eyes of His people that they might behold the beauty of the Lord in the person of Jesus Christ. Only then will peace finally come to this troubled city.

A Haunting Presence from the Past

As one travels throughout the length and breadth of Israel today, he cannot escape the haunting presence of a man from the past whose influence upon the architecture of the Holy Land was incredible. From Caesarea, in the north, to Masada, in the south, archaeologists have feasted upon the palaces and cities created by the man we know as Herod the Great.

Herod was born into an Idumean family in the first century BC. You will remember that the Idumeans were descendants of Esau, the older brother of Jacob. Early in his life he relished the feel of power. Soon he was caught up in the internal struggles going on in Rome. Because of that involvement, he was rewarded with the title, King of the Jews. Herod moved into Jerusalem and began an extensive building program throughout Israel.

He built an incredible harbor and city known as Caesarea. It was here that the Apostle Peter shared the Gospel with the Roman centurion by the name of Cornelius. It was here that Paul stood in trial before Festus, Felix and King Agrippa. Every traveler to the Holy Land today makes the trip up the Mediterranean coast to visit the ruins of this beautiful city.

Herod also built palaces in Jericho and on a mountain along the Dead Sea known as Masada.

That for which Herod is most remembered as a builder is the great temple to the God of the Jews that he had built in Jerusalem. Herod himself was not a Jew, but he sought the good pleasure of the Jews with the building of this magnificent temple. Decades in the making, this building became known around the world as one of the great architectural marvels of the time. Yet, in spite of the gift of the temple to the people, Herod never trusted the Jews. He had a fear of them. This fear was realized when the wise men announced to him that they had come to give honor to the newborn King of the Jews. That was Herod's title. No one else could use it. No one else would take his throne. So, in his fear, he sought the infant Jesus to put Him to death. Christ lived, Herod died a man full of fear.

All that remains of Herod today are the ruins of the stone buildings that he erected and the writings of the historians as to his cruelty toward others. As an architect, he is remembered with appreciation; as a man, he is scorned.

As I thought of Herod, I wondered what type of legacy I was leaving for those who followed behind me. Would that legacy be only the ruins of things that I thought were important, or would it be the people in whom I have invested my love and concern. The haunting presence of Herod certainly causes people to ask those questions.

Thoughts from Two Gardens

Two very special gardens lie on opposite ends of the Old City of Jerusalem. Outside the eastern wall and across the Kidron Valley, along the slopes of the Mount of Olives lies the small little garden known as Gethsemane. Ancient olive trees, still bearing fruit, dot the landscape within this little garden. It is a quiet place with people speaking almost in hushed tones as they enter the black wrought-iron gate.

What makes this garden so special is not the olive trees, for there are many of them scattered throughout the city. The events of a single evening, nearly two millennias ago, cause people to come to this place. Their purpose is to pause and to remember. For it was here, one spring night, that Jesus wrestled with the most important decision of His entire ministry. We can read the story of that evening in each of the four Gospels (Matthew 26:31-46; Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:39-46; John 18:1).

There was a heaviness upon His heart as Jesus walked that little pathway up the slopes of the mountain to one of His favorite retreat places. I think Jesus must have prayed here often, and probably about many of the events which were inscribed upon the chronicles of His earthly ministry. But that evening, Jesus wrestled with submitting to the express purpose for which He had come to earth, namely, to die for you and for me.

As one stands in quiet near those ancient olive trees, one can almost hear the groaning from the lips of Jesus as He prayed, "Father, if You are willing, may this cup pass from me, yet not My will, but Yours be done." The battle for the souls of mankind was won that evening there in that little garden. And it is for that reason that people return to Gethsemane to pause and to remember and to say a quiet "thank you" within their hearts.

On the other end of the Old City is another quiet and beautiful garden. Like its sister garden on the slopes of the Mount of Olives, this garden also is a place where people gather to remember, for this is the place known as the Garden Tomb. Although many scholars doubt that this is the actual place where Jesus was buried, it nonetheless, gives a believer a sense of what that garden where Jesus was entombed was like. Yet, of this we are certain, the tomb is empty.

I remember, first standing and looking inside, much like John did on that first Easter morning. I could envision the linen wrappings lying there upon the stone pallet upon which the body of Christ would have laid. But, it is in entering like Peter did that the full impact reaches your heart. "He is not here! He is risen!" echo loudly within that burial chamber. One leaves the scene of this garden rejoicing with the song-writer, "Because He lives, I can face tomorrow."

Time simply does not permit me to share with you those emotions which welled up inside during our time at Masada, or at Beersheba, or even at Bethlehem. But, everywhere you go in the Holy Land, there is a conscious awareness of the hand of God at work both in that nation's past and in its present. And there is a great anticipation for God's plan to be realized in its future. The Holy Land is truly His Land!

Back to Study Tours