by Doris H. Murdoch, teacher and author of Testify: By the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of our Testimony and Constructing Your Testimony. Bethlehem
In God’s fulfilled promise of the Messiah, let us look at the Promise’s Names, the annunciation of the Promise, the Holy Spirit’s indwelling, and how all of this should affect us in our roles as followers of the Promise.
God’s promise was fulfilled through the Virgin Mary in the birth of His One and Only Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus (Luke 1:31 “the Lord saves”) is described as the Promised Messiah, the Son of the Most High (Luke 1:32), Emmanuel (Isaiah 7:14-16), and the Son of God (Luke 1:35). In Micah 5:2-5, the Promise was described as the Ruler in Israel, Peace, Great, Shepherd, Eternal and This One. His name continues in Isaiah 9:6-7 with Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father and Prince of Peace.
We know that the Virgin Mary lived in the town of Nazareth (Luke 1:26) when the angel Gabriel spoke to her and the Holy Spirit came upon her. Today the Church of the Annunciation marks this part of Nazareth. This event came about fourteen generations from David to deportation to Babylon and fourteen generations from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah (Matthew 1:17). God really has the details down in His plans, doesn’t He?
The indwelling of the Holy Spirit did not overlook other individuals involved in this story. We know the Holy Spirit moved in Elizabeth and her unborn son, John the Baptist, when the baby leaped with joy within Elizabeth’s womb (Luke 1:41, 44). With this indwelling of the Holy Spirit, Elizabeth cried out with a loud voice, “Blessed are you, Mary, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!” In Luke 1:68-79, we read how the Holy Spirit filled Zechariah (Zacharias) and revealed that John would “prepare the way” for the Promise of salvation and forgiveness of sins. Zechariah praises God in verses 68-75 and then gives a blessing on his newborn son in verses 76-79.
God’s favor or blessings don’t always bring immediate pleasure. Mary and Joseph had to be patient and forgiving for surely the two had to tolerate a certain amount of gossip and ridicule. Mary traveled to Bethlehem in the latter part of her pregnancy. Here she was, a young and probably petite girl about 13 years old when she gave birth to her first child in a stable or cave in extremely humble circumstances. After the birth of Jesus, Mary and Joseph had to face the struggles of relocation in Egypt as they fled from King Herod. Mary had to face the death of her son Jesus as He was crucified on the cross in His adult years. Mary may not have felt blessed until after the resurrection of Jesus or possibly not until she sat at the feet of Jesus in heaven. We will face struggles also; belief in Jesus Christ does not free us from the struggles of life. We, too, may have to face death of family, persecution, relocation, discomforts, and so forth. We may not see blessings until we sit at the feet of Jesus! It may even be our children or grandchildren that receive the blessings of our faith while on earth.
Cherish the Promise and our role as a follower of Jesus Christ. Let’s offer ourselves wholly, joyfully and obediently to God, just as Mary did…”Here I am, Lord. Use me according to Your will or plan.”
Delicious Grilled Octopus
We all have acquired tastes. Our first ones are gotten within the family. An obvious area is at the dining table. From childhood we get what we are given. Better said, we accept what we are served. So we get to know cheddar cheese in England and may never have heard of provolone while at home.
An acquired taste easily becomes a required taste. Within the context in which is has been acquired is becomes expected. That is because it is the taste of what is served here. What you get day after day you get so accustomed to that you accept it as normal.
But it is the same with conversation and ideas. As we grow as children we get used to certain topics of conversation. Regularity, repetition, leads to acceptance and endorsement. So as time passes we get so used to certain attitudes and accept particular ideas, beliefs and outlooks that they become so much a part of us that we come to take them for granted.
‘This is what we do’ becomes ‘This is what we must do’ and ‘we’ means ‘you’ because you do not have to make decisions, yet! Then there is a further step. What we do in the family is what you do as part of the family, and usually in childhood you do it naturally. But the further step is that what the family does and says, what father does and says, what mother does and says, is what you are expected to do,. Should you have questions, we will tell you what you must do. So ‘this is what we do’ becomes ‘this is what you must do, this is what is expected of you’. ‘What they do’ becomes ‘This is what I do.’
Sometimes, if not in most cases, there is authority within the family. That means the child as it grows meets with approval and disapproval. Making clear what is expected is the first step to efforts to bring it. about
It happens in many other social units. So instead of saying ‘This is what we do’, put ‘believe’ for ‘do’ and see what happens. Now take the religious case. ‘What we believe’ becomes ‘This is what we expect you believe.’ Intolerant communities have their pressures and sanctions if they discover disagreement.
I have been reading a book about William Tyndale, an extraordinary virtuoso in the English language and the talented translator of the Bible. He lived in England in the sixteenth century. It is not generally known that the translators of the Authorised Version , sometimes called the King James version of the Bible simply took over ninety percent
from Tyndale’s translation. He was one of the shapers of the English language. He was also an energetic publisher of the Testament he had produced. But he was the object of intense hatred. The reason was simple. He did not fit in with the ‘family’, namely the Church of King Henry and his court, Thomas More and Wolsey in particular.
Henry was disaffected with the papacy for his personal reasons, but not from Catholic dogma, to which he was firmly attached. The breakaway Anglican church was violently opposed to Tyndale’s resolute attempt to provide ordinary people with a translation of the bible in a language that could be understood by all. Tyndale had stated his aim to give the ploughboy the Word of God in a language he could understand. And so he did. He gave ordinary people the opportunity to have the Word of God in their own language, and in a version of that language that they could readily understand. After his betrayal he was finally burned at the stake, as Wycliffe had been before him.
The root of this persecution had its source in the assertion of authority Tyndale had challenged this, for his translation meant that those who read the Bible for themselves resisted the demands of the church both in doctrine and in practice. .
‘This is what we do becomes ‘This is what we must do.’ .,That then becomes :We means you. So They can then say to me,. We are telling you what you must do and say.,
We will tell you what we do and then you must do. Se will then find out whether you are willing to do what we do. We believed such and such and so do such and such. So then they can tell me, so they can tell you what you must not do and say and what not believe. Then they find out if you co-operate, using whatever means are needed to get you to co-operate.
But there was a further step Tyndale’s enemies took. Indeed it was the initial one taken as an assumption. What we tell you is what God is telling you. Our authority is God’s authority and we and our system is the means by which God is now speaking. What we are telling you is what God is telling you.
Times have changed but we can see a sad repetition of the opposition in Christian communities of the conflict between an authoritarian demand for conformity and the allowance of the protestant principle that believers must find their own understanding and experience. Ironically it frequently occurs over the issue of understanding the scriptures
now available to all. The very communities which inherited the benefits of the Reformation now demand an authority that insists that their interpretation of that available scripture be followed. In some conservative Christian communities the shift to discussion of correct method of interpretation even taker precedence over the actual understanding of the original text of Scripture.
by Dr. Thomas W. Hudgins, professor, author and translator of Dr. David Alan Black’s book, Aprenda a Leer el Griego del Nuevo Testamento. Isaiah 42:1-9 You might never have heard the expression “Servant Songs” before. But I’m sure you have heard of Isaiah the prophet and the book in the Old Testament that was written by him. And I’m also sure that you have read Isaiah 53 before. You know, that’s the place in the Old Testament with verses like “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon him, and by his scourging we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). This is no doubt the portion of Isaiah that Peter is pointing his audience to when he writes that Jesus “bore our sins in his body on the cross . . . for by his wounds you were healed” (1 Peter 2:24). But one thing you might not know is there are four “Servant Songs” in Isaiah, and the one we are most familiar with is actually the fourth—and longest. What are the “Servant Songs,” where are they, and what do they tell us about the identity of the Messiah? That’s our focus here, though we’re only going to focus on the first one.
There are four “Servant Songs” in Isaiah: (1) 42:1 –9 (though some restrict it to vv. 1–4), (2) 49:1–6, (3) 50:4–9, and (4) 52:13–53:12. Each refers to an individual by the expression “my Servant.” These passages are unique in Isaiah, who uses the word “servant” elsewhere in reference to Israel, in that they discuss specific activities that are attributed to the Messiah. John Oswalt writes this:
“In all the other occurrences of ‘servant’ in chapters 40–48 a fearful servant, clearly identified as the nation, is assured of God’s continuing love and care . . . . No function other than ‘witness’ is mentioned. But in these ‘Servant Song’ references, while there are assurances of help, the emphasis is on the Servant’s activities for the world” (The Book of Isaiah: Chapters 40–66, NICOT [Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 1998], 109).
Calling them “songs” comes from form critical studies in the previous century. Were they actually songs? –No, at least they weren’t originally intended to be sung like the psalms per se. With that said, though, scholars began referring to them as songs because they saw in them parallels with Ancient Near Eastern liturgy. Has someone ever put these words to music? Sure. But I’m not inclined to think they were written after any Ancient Near Eastern pattern. These are the words given to Isaiah for him to proclaim to the generation who has stiffened their necks to their Master and become more disobedient than Israel’s livestock to their masters. In any event, the name “Servant Songs” stuck and it’s the default way people refer to these four discourse units in Isaiah.
The first Servant Song is found in Isaiah 42:1–9. Let’s take a look at some of the highlights of this passage. There’s lots here, so we can’t park and take the tour. Verse 1b reads, “I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.” Notice that Isaiah uses the word “nations,” not Israel. That’s very, very, very interesting. I’m a Gentile. And unless you are Jewish, you are too. And I sure love seeing how the Gentiles were on God’s radar from the very beginning, even after he formed a special covenant relationship with Israel. The Gentiles play a huge role in Isaiah’s prophecy. One of the most familiar verses is found in Isaiah 9: “But there will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish; in earlier times he treated the land of Zebulon and the land of Naphtali with contempt, but later on he shall make it glorious, by the way of the sea, on the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them” (vv. 1–2). And just a little further into Isaiah we find, “Then in that day, the nations will resort to the root of Jesse, who will stand as a signal for the peoples; and his resting place will be glory” (Isaiah 11:10). The Gentiles are on God’s mind and of significant importance in his redemptive plan. Jesus spent time with Gentiles. Remember the woman at the well in John 4; John made a point to say Jesus absolutely had to travel through Samaria. Why? There was one person he had to talk to, and he waited for her by Jacob’s well. And don’t forget the demoniac on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee (Mark 5). That individual ended up being the only person impacted by Jesus and his message during that trip. Jesus definitely focused on the Jewish people during his ministry. After all, to them belonged the covenants and they were his people, both as their God and as a descendant, having taken on human flesh. But his mission was a mission to the world, and he modeled for his own disciples how globally focused they had to be if they were going to represent him well later in their endeavors to the ends of the world. The first Servant Song has a lot in it. One of my favorite verses about Jesus is also found in this first one, though most people might not be as familiar with it. Here’s what Isaiah tells us: “He will not cry out or raise his voice, nor make his voice heard in the street. A bruised reed he will not break and a dimly burning wick he will not extinguish. He will faithfully bring forth justice” (Isaiah 42:2–3). It’s verse three that I really love so much. But there’s an issue in verse two that we need to deal with: What does it mean that “he will not cry out or raise his voice, nor make his voice heard in the street”? Didn’t Jesus teach? Didn’t people hear him? And didn’t he cry out, such as the “Woes” found in Matthew 23? Of course. Verse two doesn’t say that Jesus will be utterly silent. It’s not even a reference to what we find later in 1 Peter: “and while being reviled, he did not revile in return; while suffering he uttered no threats . . .” (1 Peter 2:23). Isaiah is pointing out just how gentle the Messiah is overall and how gentle he would be when he took on human flesh and ministered in Galilee, its environs, and ultimately Jerusalem, where he offered his life as a guilt offering. Isaiah is pointing to how the Messiah would understand the importance of biding his time, withdrawing when need be, so that he could offer hope to those who otherwise had no hope and for whom leaders were confident no hope would come.
And that’s the verse that really jumps out at me—verse 3—which explicitly refers to this gentleness, offering two beautiful descriptions of just how gentle he will be. First, he says the Messiah will not break a bruised reed. A bruised reed was useless. You could do anything really with a reed. It was like an all-purpose ingredient. But if it was bruised, a person would break it and discard it. Why break it? So you wouldn’t pick it up again and think you could do something with it. What’s Isaiah say? The Messiah won’t break it. He won’t discard it. Second, Isaiah says the Messiah is so gentle that he could walk by a candle that was just about to go out, and sure enough, it wouldn’t extinguish. Now for us, this imagery is probably closer to our world. You’ve used a candle haven’t you? Seen one that was just at the wick’s end? When a candle burns way down to the end of a wick, it doesn’t have much life left. In fact, you can put it out pretty easy. Just the slightest movement of air can strangle the life out of a dimly burning wick. But the Messiah would be so gentle that he could walk past the most faint of dim flames and somehow it wouldn’t go out. He’s that gentle.
You’ll find the first half of the first Servant Song quoted in Matthew’s Gospel. Matthew records it in his account right before the religious leaders of Jesus’ day reject him as the Messiah and heir to David’s throne. When we think about the Messiah, specifically when we think about the Messiah in Isaiah, our minds immediately turn to Isaiah 7:14, 9:1–6, and, most definitely, the fourth and final Servant Song, Isaiah 52:13–53:12. We need to know those passages, and know them well. But if you’ve never turned your attention to the first three Servant Songs, take my advice and dig in today. We sometimes think the Gospels are the only place to go if we want to see Jesus. My friends, the whole of the Old Testament tells his story. It is the story of Jesus. And Isaiah contains four specific prophecies concerning the Messiah that share the phrase “my Servant.” It’s remarkable what Isaiah tells us about the one who would come and give his life on that cross. Amazing.
These pictures were taken from Goldman’s Promenade on the Hill of Evil Counsel. The Goldman’s Promenade sits amidst the Peace Forest. The junction of the Kidron, Hinnom and Azal Valleys separate the Mount of Olives and the Mount of Evil Counsel, also called (Jebel Deir) Abu Tor. From the location of the Hill of Evil Counsel, one can see: the pine trees of the Peace Forest; the Old City of Jerusalem; Mount Moriah, the site of the first and second temples; the Dome of the Rock; to the west, the Hinnom Valley and Mount Zion; and to the east, the Kidron Valley and Mount of Olives with the Garden of Gethsemane and the Tower of Ascension. What in the world is the Mount of Evil Counsel? It is the location for: the attempted overthrow of King David by his son, Absalom; the place where the high priest Caiaphas and his colleagues decided to arrest Jesus; Judas Iscariot’s final hours; making battle plans; and, today, the United Nations headquarters.
Chapters 15-18 of II Samuel tell the story of how Absalom plotted to overthrow and kill his father, King David. In this plot, Absalom sent spies throughout the tribes of Israel, saying “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpets, then you shall say ‘Absalom is king in Hebron’ ” (II Samuel 15:10, NASB). Absalom seeks the counsel of Ahithophel, David’s mystic counselor or sage, as his wisdom and advice were of God, except he failed to give God the credit or glory for this wisdom. Ahithophel suggested that Absalom go into David’s concubines and then Ahithophel would take 12,000 men to pursue and strike down David. Absalom also sought out Hushai’s advice who suggested Absalom go himself to carry out the task. Hushai remained true to David and David knew of the plan. In conclusion, Absalom ends up dead in the Peace Forest on the Hill of Evil Council and David remains in power as king. Absalom received evil counsel that brought on his death (hung on a tree, stabbed 3 times by Joab, and then finished off by Joab’s armor bearers, II Samuel 18:14-15). Regretfully involved in the overthrow and disgraced by his ignored counsel, Ahithophel commited suicide. Here, we see “pride goes before destruction” from Proverbs 16:18. His rumored final words to his family were, “Never side against the royal Davidic family and take no part in dissensions.”
The scriptures of John 11:47-53 share the evil counsel as the Jewish leaders plan to conspire against Jesus:
Therefore the chief priests and the Pharisees convened a council, and were saying, “What are we doing? For this man is performing many signs. 48 If we let Him go on like this, all men will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” 49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, 50 nor do you take into account that it is expedient for you that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish.” 51 Now he did not say this on his own initiative, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, 52 and not for the nation only, but in order that He might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. 53 So from that day on they planned together to kill Him. (NASB)
The council of elders decided to offer Jesus to the governor of Judah, Pontius Pilate. According to Christian tradition, Pontius Pilate agreed to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ after this gathering on the Hill of Abu-Tor at the residence of the past high priest, Ananias. The ancient hill is also identified as the place where Judas Iscariot finalized his contract to betray Christ. The flat-top area is called the Field of Blood where Judas made the deal on the arrest of Jesus for 30 pieces of silver, the blood money for betraying Jesus. Acts 1:18-19 states, Now this man acquired a field with the price of his wickedness, and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his intestines gushed out. 19 And it became known to all who were living in Jerusalem; so that in their own language that field was called Hakeldama, that is, Field of Blood. In this scenario of Judas betraying Jesus after his visit to the Hill of Evil Counsel, we are reminded of the betrayal of David by his counselor Ahithophel in the same location.
The view from the Hill of Evil Counsel is a panorama of Jerusalem with a most spectacular view. Most likely, those who have invaded Jerusalem have made their battle plans and drawings from this site. Saladin and other Arab leaders may have viewed Jerusalem from this hill. I would suggest that Romans, Egyptians, Assyrians, and Philistines may have all taken a good look at the city of Jerusalem before making any battle plans. Here on the Hill of Evil Counsel stands the Government House, a colonial residence when the British Crown had control of the area on behalf of the League of Nations. Today this serves as the Israel headquarters of the United Nations. Most people think of the United Nations as a world arbitrator on issues of right and wrong among nations. Where does the authority of the United Nations come from? It certainly is not the authority of God, but the authority of world governments based on the human model of democracy and voting in proportion to representation.
Recently, UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) made the decision that Israel’s Jews no longer had any historical or religious connections to the Temple Mount. The U.N. agency wants to adopt a policy of the Temple Mount being sacred to Muslims only. Israel’s ancient high court of Sanhedrin has reformed and responded with, “The Jewish right to the Temple Mount was established in the Bible, and should therefore be recognized by Christianity and Islam. In fact, the Jewish claim to Jerusalem is as essential to those religions as it is to Judaism. The biblical connection between the Jews and Jerusalem led to the building of the First Temple by King Solomon, which strengthened our claim to Jerusalem even more.” The Sanhedrin have warned the U.N. that such statements and decisions encourage global terrorism and do not promote world peace, which should be the ultimate goal of the U.N. organization.
As Christians, we have a responsibility to the United Nations and other global humanistic organizations to question decisions by acknowledging and seeking out God’s authority and wisdom. We need to ask ourselves if the U.N. (UNESCO) decision is the best decision for all of mankind as it relates to the will and plans of God. The U.N. acknowledges God in its New York office building with part b of Isaiah 2:4; all of the scripture, parts a and b, need to be acknowledged. God is the Supreme Judge and anti-semitism cannot be a part of such an organization. a And He will judge between the nations, and will render decisions for many peoples; b And they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, and never again will they learn war. (NASB)
When we look back in history on decisions made by the U.N., we see obvious discrepancies in how the nation of Israel is being viewed by this world peace organization. The following highlights concerning Israel and UN have been made available by Steven Shamrack, independent editor of The Kings Calendar, The Shamrack Report:
Before 1990, the Security Council passed 175 resolutions, 97 were directed against Israel.
Before 1990, the UN General Assembly voted on 690 resolutions, 429 were directed against Israel.
The UN was silent when Jordanians destroyed 58 synagogues in Jerusalem.
The UN was silent while the Jordanians systematically desecrated the ancient Jewish cemetery on the Mount of Olives.
The UN was silent while the Jordanians enforced an apartheid-like policy of preventing Jews from visiting the Temple Mount and the Western Wall.
The UN was silent while for 18 months Israel was terrorized by indiscriminate suicide bombing campaigns unleashed by PA leadership.
There are 54 Muslims countries in the UN. As well as many more are others, Arab oil dependent states.
Israel is the ONLY MEMBER OF THE UN THAT IS NOT PERMITTED MEMBERSHIP ON THE SECURITY COUNCIL.
Israel is the only country excluded from the U.N.’s regional group system. Since Israel does not belong to any group, it is the only country of 190 member states that is not eligible to serve on the numerous U.N. commissions.
In recent years, the U.N. Commission on Human Rights has annually passed five resolutions condemning Israel. This year, they passed seven. By contrast, each of the following countries/regions has been the subject of only one resolution: Afghanistan, Burundi, Congo, Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Myanmar, Russia/Chechnya, Sierra Leone, Southeast Europe and Sudan.
Nov. 29 is the United Nations Day of International Solidarity with the Palestinian People. No other group or nation has a U.N. Day of Solidarity.
Israel is the only state to which a special investigator with “an open-ended mandate to inspect its human rights record” is assigned by the U.N.
It is the only state targeted by two special committees and special units of the U.N. Secretariat ostensibly devoted to the Palestinians but in reality dedicated to Israel-bashing worldwide, costing millions of dollars a year.
UNIFIL, the U.N. force stationed on the Israel-Lebanon border, hid a videotape of Israeli soldiers being abducted by Hezbollah in October 2000. After finally admitting to having the tape, the U.N. would only show an edited version (in which Hezbollah faces were hidden) to the Israeli government.
Does it sound like Israel has been viewed fairly as it relates to internal and global peace? According to Zechariah 14, the nations of the world need to take a sincere look at the countries they are supporting and following. The Lord will fight against all the nations that do not support Jerusalem and He will strike all the peoples who have gone to war against Jerusalem. “Their flesh will rot while they stand on their feet, and their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongue will rot in their mouth.” A great panic from the Lord will fall upon the nations. At some time in world history, the nations that oppose Israel may have stood on the Hill of Evil Counsel, but they will not stand in the end times. Jerusalem will dwell in security.
by Doris H. Murdoch, teacher and author of Testify: By the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of our Testimony and Constructing Your Testimony. The Lion’s Gate is located in the northeast section of the Old City Walls of Jerusalem. It is one of seven gates in Jerusalem that is open today; the Lion’s gate has numerous names that will be discussed. There are four lions near the crest of the gate, two on the left and two on the right. There is some discrepancy over what “cat” is actually on the gate; there are tales that the animals may be cheetahs, leopards or lions. The Lion’s Gate is known worldwide for several reasons: Muslim and Jewish identity; Jesus’s final walk from the prison to crucifixion; and the Six Day War. During the Crusader period, the gate was called Josophat’s (Jehoshaphat) Gate. Jehoshaphat means the Lord judges. We know that Jehoshaphat was a leader who pursued peace and sought God’s guidance during his reign in Judah (I Kings 22:5). In the end times, God will gather the nations in the Valley of Jehoshaphat to be judged (Joel 3:2). God’s judgment is divine wisdom; we know there were officials named Jehoshaphat during David’s and Solomon’s reigns. (II Samuel 8:16; I Kings 4:17) The Christian name is St. Stephen’s Gate. The Early Church chose seven leaders to distribute food to the needy with Stephen being one of the chosen deacons. Acts 6 and 7 tells the story of Stephen in his ministry and death through stoning. It is believed that the gate is the one taken into the Kidron Valley where the martyrdom of Stephen took place. The gate is also called the Sheep Gate (Nehemiah 3) as sheep were led into the city for sacrifice via this gate. This is the gate Jesus took as he was led from prison to crucifixion. As the Lamb of God, He laid down His life for His sheep (John 10:1-11). The Hebrew name for the entryway is Sha’ar Ha’Arayot (in honor of the decorations above the gate) and the Arabic name is Bab Sitna-Mariam, the Gate of the Tribes. It is said that the tribes of Israel entered the Old City through this gate. It is also called St. Mary’s Gate. This is because the Virgin Mary’s birthplace is on the road to the right, St. Anne’s Church. As mentioned earlier, the “cats” on the gate are up for discussion. Some say the cats are leopards; others say cheetahs; and then some say the animals are lions, like the Lion of Judah. Most likely, the cats were placed on the gate by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent to celebrate the defeat of Mamluks in 1517. Folklore states that Suleiman had dreams of lions eating him after high taxing of the people of Jerusalem and meditating on how to punish those who were unable to pay the taxes. The wiseman who interpreted the dream said that God was angry with him for his evil thoughts and actions. To atone or appease God, Suleiman built the gate to protect Jerusalem from invaders. Some say it was Suleiman’s predecessor Selim who dreamed of the lions eating him when he planned to level Jerusalem. He spared the city and built the wall around it for protection. Some say panthers or cheetahs of the Baybars were transferred to the gate as a symbol of their dominion. No matter the tale, lions became the symbol of the city of Jerusalem and the mighty God it serves, the Lion of Judah (Genesis 49:9). At the peak of the gate is an Arabic inscription and below the inscription is a Jewish symbol, the Magen-David (Star of David). Observers witness the identity of the Muslims and the Jews in the Lion’s Gate. Before the crucifixion, Jesus would have used the Lion’s Gate as He traveled from Judean Desert (Jerusalem-Jericho Road) to begin His early ministry. He would have taken this route from The Mount of Temptation. The road from the gate descends to the Kidron Valley and the foothills of the Mount of Olives. This would have been the route after His arrest at the Garden of Gethsamene. Jesus’ final walk from the prison to the crucifixion is via the Lion’s Gate. The Temple Mount is to the left and the road to St. Anna (St. Anne’s Church), believed to be the home of the Virgin Mary, is to the right. As one moves in a westwardly direction, the road becomes the Via Dolorosa. The Lion’s Gate has more recent history for the Jews. Suring the Six Day War, Jerusalem united under Israel control when the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) fought against Jordan, Syria and Egypt during June 5-10 of 1967. In a decisive victory for Israel, the 55th Paratroop Brigade came through the gate in 1967 and placed the Israeli flag above the Temple Mount in the Old City. In an effort to create peace in the Middle East, some developments and setbacks took place through the Oslo Accords in 1993-2001. Since this, terrorist attacks and suicide bombings have been the result of land disagreements in the Arab-Israeli relations. Arabs and Jews enter and depart through the gate, but positive feelings of the shared history of the gate are doubtful. From biblical times through today, the Lion’s Gate has played a vital role in the happenings of Israel. God may be revealing His mystery and divine wisdom of the end times in this gate called the Lion’s Gate. What is your response concerning the shared history, Arab-Israeli relations or the end times in respect to the Lion’s Gate?
by Dr. Bruce G. Epperly, pastor, professor and author of Process Theology: Embracing Adventure with God, Transforming Acts: Acts of the Apostles as a 21st Century Gospel, Ruth and Esther: Women of Agency and Adventure, and more! Ruth 1:1-18 It’s been said that God created humankind because God loves stories. Our scriptures are filled with stories, legends that tell a deeper truth than mere fact, tales that counter our prejudices and invite us to see the world from a wider perspective. No one knows exactly when the story of Ruth was first told. The heroine may not even have existed, but for many refugees and mixed race children, her story was good news, a healing balm, and the source of pride and courage. So let me tell you a story: Hadassah’s life was good before the priests and lawmakers returned from exile in Babylon, and before the ultra-orthodox Ezra and Nehemiah took over the country. Hadassah enjoyed playing on the banks of the stream, running through the neighborhood with friends, and just being a little girl. When the priests and lawmakers returned from Babylon, they had big ideas: life had been hard for them in exile. Their families had been the elite in Jerusalem, but in Babylon they were nobodies. They struggled to hold onto the old ways and the religion of their parents. They believed that their great-grandparents’ unfaithfulness led to the nation’s humiliation, and they returned home, vowing to never turn away from God again. They wanted to make Israel great again and that meant returning to true religion – the religion of law and ritual, grounded in purity and fidelity. They wanted to stay on God’s good side – after all, God could be violent and punitive – and in their quest for purity, they looked for someone to blame for the humiliation they’d experienced. The obvious scapegoats were those who remained in Israel, accommodated to non-Jewish culture, appropriated some of the lifestyle of the Canaanites, and even married local women, during the exile – Canaanite women, who may have accepted the God of Israel but who still observed the seasonal festivals of their parents’ religion. At first, the return of the religious, governmental and business elite was celebrated, but then the elites – under the authority of the Persians wanted to build a wall around Jerusalem – a really big wall, with high ramparts – to separate the pure from the impure, the faithful from the infidel. They wanted to return Jerusalem to its former glory, and to make the nation great again. Nothing would stand in their way, especially the unfaithful who married outside the true religion, their infidel wives, and their mixed race children. Hadassah’s father was blacklisted for marrying a Canaanite, and his business suffered. But, worse, he was attacked on the street by religious zealots. His faith was questioned and he was banned from worship services. Some of the neighborhood children taunted and teased Hadassah, insulted her parents, and even called her names, “half breed,” “pagan child,” and worse. The paradise of childhood became hell for Hadassah. When Hadassah asked her father, “What’s wrong with me? Why do they call me names? What did I do wrong?” his heart was broken. And, when he and his wife had to give their children the “talk” about staying safe in the streets, their spirits almost broke. It was a family custom at bedtime for the children to plead with their father, “Tell me a story.” And so, he told the stories of their ancestors – David, Moses, Abraham and Sarah. But, one night, in response to his children’s plea, Hadassah’s father began a new story, one that the children had never heard before – the story of a young woman named Ruth, a foreigner, who came to live in Bethlehem.
“Once upon a time,” so began father, “there was a famine in Israel, and a couple and their two sons migrated to Moab. Like other refugees, they were first treated with suspicion and fear. The locals worried that they would take away their jobs and property. But, years passed, and this little family like other refugee families, worked hard, found a place in the community, and the boys married Moabite girls. At first, there were some concerns, mixed race and mixed religion marriages are often looked down upon and seen as a threat to the purity of faith and race. But, the family fitted in and anticipated staying in Moab for the long haul.” When father paused, the children begged, “Tell us more. What happened to this family? Did they have children like us?” Father closed his eyes to let his imagination roam and then continued. “Well, times can get tough, and the men died before their wives could have children, and the women were left alone. One named Orpah went back to her parents, but the other Ruth was attached to her mother-in-law Naomi. She had no home to go back to, having been disowned for marrying a Hebrew, and she knew that a woman alone would not survive. Together they would make it. Times were better in Bethlehem now and besides Naomi owned a plot of land, and so they journeyed, two women walking in heat and chill, till they made it back to Bethlehem.”
“Naomi was home, but now Ruth was the stranger. Now she was the foreigner, the one with the accent, who still had trouble speaking the local language; an unmarried woman, she was a threat to others seeking husbands and she was also at risk from predatory males. Some welcomed her, but others turned away. ‘She’s not one of us. Go back where you came from. Don’t’ steal our men or our land from us.’” Others invoked the prejudice, ‘You know the Moabites, they live by another code; they sacrifice babies, and their women, well….’” Father paused, and the kids implored, “Please, please, more, more.” “Well, Ruth went to work in the fields, picking up the leftovers, and Boaz noticed her. She was smart, strong, and beautiful, and they courted each other, fell in love, and the rest is history – or is it herstory?” “God blessed them. They had a family, and Ruth’s great grandson was the great King David.”
“That’s all you’ll get tonight,” father concluded. But, that was enough for Hadassah. She saw herself in that young woman Ruth – a survivor, strong, able to outlast the persecutors; she realized that she was smart and talented regardless of what bullies and wall builders said. She also saw her mother, a Canaanite – looked down upon by the righteous ones with their dreams of ethnic purity, but not letting their hate and judgment get the best of her as day by day, she fashioned a loving home. Maybe, her father was like Boaz, Ruth’s Jewish husband, dealing with the prejudice of others, but not letting that hate destroy his family. He was proud of his Canaanite wife, and despite social and religious pressures, he would never divorce his wife, as some had done. Hadassah went to sleep dreaming of David, the great King, from a mixed race and an interfaith marriage, just like her. “Maybe I am good enough. My birth is blessing and not a curse. Like Ruth, I will outlast the bullies. God blessed another foreign woman, God is blessing my mother and father, and God will bless me. I will be faithful, proud of my heritage, and like Ruth, I’m going to make a difference by just being myself.” And so she did! A sermon preached by Bruce Epperly in a joint service of South Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, and the Craigville Tabernacle Community, August 28, 2016.
by Doris H. Murdoch, teacher and author of Testify: By the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of our Testimonyand Constructing Your Testimony We read about the Mount of Temptation in the books of Matthew (4:1-11), Mark (1:12-13), and Luke (4:1-13). After Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist, the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the Judean desert wilderness to be tempted by the devil. It is believed that Jesus fasted for forty days in a cave on the Mount of Temptation, also called Mount Quarantal. The Mount of Temptation overlooks the oldest city in the world (10,000 years), the lowest point in the world (1300 feet below sea level), and the city of palms, the city of Jericho. Jericho is located in the West Bank and the Jordan Valley. The summit of the Mount of Temptation is seven miles northwest of Jericho. From the summit, one has a panoramic view of the Dead Sea, the Jordan Valley and the mountains of Moab and Gilead. The Jesus Cave, the place of fasting and meditation, is located within the parameters of the Greek Orthodox Monastery of the Temptation, which is about halfway up the mountain. At one time, the only way up the mountain was via a walking path, but today the monastery and Jesus Cave can be reached via a cable car.
After forty days of fasting, Jesus was hungry. The Bible tells us that the tempter or devil came to Jesus and said, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” Jesus responds with, “It is written, ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.’ ” (Deuteronomy 8:3) Jesus was human like us; He hungered after forty days of fasting. Man’s body must be replenished after fasting. Jesus, unlike humans, was sinless; He faced temptation and did not give in. When faced with temptation, do you find strength in Jesus and the Word of God? Do you try not to give in or be disobedient of God and His commands? Are you striving to be Christ-like? In the second temptation, the devil took Jesus to the Holy City of Jerusalem an-d had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple. The devil said, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written, ‘HE WILL COMMAND HIS ANGELS CONCERNING YOU’ and ‘On their HANDS THEY WILL BEAR YOU UP, SO THAT YOU WILL NOT STRIKE YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE.’ ” (Psalm 91:11-12) Jesus responds with, “On the other hand, it is written, ‘YOU SHALL NOT PUT THE LORD YOUR GOD TO THE TEST.’ ” (Deuteronomy 6:16) Here the devil tempts Jesus with possessions, power and pride. We all like sporty cars or trucks, stylish clothing, beautiful homes, new technological gadgets, and the material world goes on and on! For a wealthy person or a person with leadership skills or gifts, it is a very strong temptation to get caught up in the devil’s schemes of power and possessions. Do you struggle to be strong in the Lord and allow Him to guide your acquisitions? Do you seek God’s will in how these things are used? Ask yourself, “Am I using these things to serve and glorify God?”
Lastly, the devil takes Jesus to another mountain and said, “All these things (kingdoms of the world) I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.” Jesus responds with, “Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY.’ ” (Deuteronomy 6:13, 10:20) The devil left Jesus and the angels came to Jesus and ministered to Him. Here, we see Jesus tempted by the devil, promising Jesus the world that was not even within his power. The devil was trying to distort the worldview for Jesus with world control that was not focused on God’s plan for mankind. Jesus kept His focus on God’s purpose for coming to earth as a man. He knew He was here to accomplish the journey to the cross. He was here “for God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
As you recall, Eve was tempted by the devil, a real, fallen angel! The devil was thrown from Heaven because of his desires for power and his pride in that he was as great as God. Satan, the devil, is always around when there are people trying to follow and obey God. Just think, if Jesus would have given in to the devil, he would have failed in His assigned mission on earth, to die on the cross for our sins and to give us the opportunity to have eternal life. If the devil seems to be very active in your life, he may be trying to block God’s purposes for you and others around you. Daily, hour by hour, minute by minute, put your eyes on Jesus. Keep your focus on the journey that God has planned for you and allow God’s will to become your will. Is your victory in Jesus?
Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it. – Luke 19:41 Jesus was acclaimed as the Son of David and the King of Israel as He made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem the week He was crucified. The crowds shouted hosannas to Him and welcomed Him as their Messiah (Matthew 21:9; John 12:12-13). Bartimaeus also acclaimed Him as such, when he cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Mark 10:46-47). Jesus, likewise, identified Himself as the Son of David, in His final words of Holy Scripture: “I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star” (Revelation 22:16). The Son of David is returning one day to Jerusalem, the Jewish capital, the city He wept over when the Jewish leaders rejected Him (Luke 13:34-35; 19:41). Jesus also wept when his friend Lazarus died (John 11:35). He was not only crying because of empathy with Mary and Martha in their grief, but He likely was crying about the unbelief of the crowd. He already knew that He would raise up Lazarus, and He already knows that one day He will raise up the nation of Israel! On that day “all Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:25-27). But until that day comes, He weeps over His beloved Chosen people. How sad that “a child was born unto them, a Son was given … a Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6), and Israel rejected Him! But, wait! There is a silver lining to that cloud.
For if their casting Yeshua aside means reconciliation for the world, what will their accepting Him mean? It will be life from the dead! – Romans 11:15 (Complete Jewish Bible)
In other words, if Israel’s rejection of Yeshua as Messiah resulted in the Gospel going to the Gentiles, then their acceptance of Him will bring world-wide revival! Isn’t that what we all want? But how have we been praying for it? King David wrote, “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. May they prosper who love you” (Psalm 122:6). That is tantamount to praying for the salvation of the Jewish people, that their eyes will be opened, like Bartimaeus, to see the Son of David, their Messiah! Our own prosperity, spiritually and every other way, is tied up with this imperative. Will we be obedient? The tears of our Lord poured out on His people, and now we Gentiles who know Him as Savior and Lord are His people, too. We should have our prayers mixed with tears of repentance for what the Church has done to the Jewish people throughout history to harden them against their own Messiah! The Church is suffering from a case of mistaken identity! Jesus is weeping about it as He intercedes for the eyes of His Church to be opened!
IDENTITY
(Based on Romans 11)
So, what is my identity now that I am saved?
I have a Jewish Lord, so how should I behave?
I was graciously grafted into a Jewish olive tree,
I was a wild branch when Jesus set me free.
The Seed of Abraham was planted in the ground –
They’d nailed Him to a tree when I was not around.
But He was resurrected as the Jewish Scriptures said,
And offered all salvation by His blood He had shed.
I later heard the story, first told by Jewish men –
The Apostles, Paul, and all the church were Jewish, all of them.
But when the message got to me, the Jewish roots were cut!
Yeshua wept, because the door to heaven for Jews was shut!
The Jews now think of Jesus as a God who’s not for them –
The veil over their eyes has made their eyesight dim.
But we can make them jealous if we restore His Jewish identity,
Support the Jews and the Jewish nation; for them we must have affinity.
And we must know our history, horrible things the Church has done,
Identify with them in their pain, that’s how their hearts are won.
We must repent for atrocities done in the name of our Jewish King.
Forgive us, Lord, we did not know it was such an evil thing.
– Nancy Petrey ~ June 18, 2016
Most Christians are not aware of the anti-Semitic history of the Church. I recommend three resources: (1) Our Hands are Stained with Blood: the Tragic Story of the “Church” and the Jewish People, by Dr. Michael Brown. (2) How the Cross Became a Sword by Richard Booker (small booklet). (3) Why Christians Should Care About Their Jewish Roots by Nancy Petrey (40-page book). In praying for revival and preparing for the coming of the Lord, these are indispensable tools. I urge you to read one of them. You will be spellbound and shell-shocked! But at least you will be equipped for these end times. PRAYER: Dear Father, cause us to weep over Your chosen people like Jesus did. Give us a heart of compassion to pray for their salvation. Cause us to be more grateful that Jesus came to us through the Jewish people and that our beloved Scriptures were penned and preserved by them. May we be moved to action on their behalf, speeding the day when Yeshua the Messiah will return to Jerusalem and set up His kingdom.
The Purification Font at the Western Wall, Wailing Wall, The HaKotel HaMa’Aravi
I wash my hands in innocence, and go around your altar, O LORD. – Psalm 26:6 (NRSV) The Western Wall lies within the Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem. Jews and Christians from all over the world come here to pray. One might view individuals at or near the Wall participating in numerous tasks as they stand before God: purifying through handwashing; preparing their minds for prayer through blessings and positions; reverently touching the Wall structure; bowing on bended knee; wailing or crying; praying; kissing the stonework; writing prayers and stuffing the folded prayers in the deep crevices of the stones; or reading from the Torah, the Jewish Old Testament. These behaviors date back as far as 30 B.C.E. and reaffirm the relationship and respect one has for G-d.
In II Corinithians 7:1, Paul reminds believers of the daily spiritual cleansing that one is obligated to in awe of God and in thankfulness for the promise of forgiveness of sins, salvation through Jesus Christ and eternal life. Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and of spirit, making holiness perfect in the fear of God. Jewish tradition requires purifying oneself before approaching the Western Wall. As one approaches the Western Wall plaza, most individuals will take note of the purification or handwashing stations. As I enthusiastically approached the Western Wall with the rain pouring down over my cloaked body, I failed to take note of the purification stations. I stood in line to approach the Wall and, in my turn, touched the Wall and offered my prayer to God. As I turned around, back to the Wall, I noticed the purification or handwashing fonts. They were white and gold ornate basins with four faucets and doubled-handed cups or vessels available for use in the handwashing ritual, I immediately felt guilty that I had not purified my hands before approaching the Wall. This purification brings one to innocency before God (Psalm 26:6) As one of the most sacred places for Jews, I wanted to honor tradition. As a Christian, I am adopted into God’s family that begins with Jewish tradition through Jesus Christ, our Jewish Savior. I photographed the font and promised myself that I would do further research on the purification font. Then if I ever had the opportunity to go back to Jerusalem, I would be on purifying myself before approaching the Wall for prayer. After researching and learning more about the handwashing ritual, I feel relieved that I had not washed my hands at the washing station because I would have dishonored Jewish tradition by doing this incorrectly. (I learned I had already dishonored tradition by turning my back to the Wall after praying and then carrying on a big discussion with fellow members of the tour group.)
According to tradition, one fills the 2-handled cup or vessel with water (Males must have their heads covered.). After this, both hands are removed from the cup. Then take the cup in your right hand or dominant hand, and transfer to the other hand, most often the left hand. Pour the water one time over the right hand being sure to wash to the wrist with fingers apart so that all of the hand is cleansed or purified. Transfer the cup to the right hand and pour over the left hand. The cup goes back to the left hand by moving from handle to handle of the vessel washing the right hand. Then transfer back to the right hand and wash the left hand. The process is complete after three washings of both hands. During all of this washing, one is preparing his heart for praying to God by meditating on the words of the handwashing blessing that will be stated at the end of the cleansing process. Washing complete, the individual shakes the excess water from the hands. He then raises his hands to the level of his eyes (Psalm 134:2: Lift up your hands to the holy place, and bless the Lord.) and looks at his hands and says the handwashing blessing:
Blessed are You Lord, Our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us regarding the washing of the hands.
He then dries his hands and leaves the empty cup upside down at the station (One never leaves water in the vessel.). The towel should also be disposed of as it holds impurities transferred from the hands to the towel.
I also learned that I should have backed away from the Wall, for turning your back to the Wall is disrespectful. Other ways of being respectful include: honoring the separation of men and women at the wall (Stay within your section!); turning off cell phones; showing quiet reverence (No conversations with others!); no photography of the Wall on the Sabbath, Friday PM – Saturday PM; and lastly, as mentioned earlier, men should have their heads covered with a yarmulke, sunhat or cap. If I ever have the opportunity to visit the wall again, I think I can be a more respectful visitor to one of the most holy places on earth.
When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest.Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the Lord your God.
The God of Israel recognized the reality of poverty. God was well aware that poverty is more often the result of accident and misfortune than laziness. As the Hebraic scriptures, or Old Testament, constantly asserts, God hears the cries of the poor. Abraham Joshua Heschel described God’s relationship to the world in terms of “pathos,” God’s passionate care for the vulnerable, grounded in God’s experience of their pain. God is not aloof, but our companion every step of the way. Passionate for justice, the details of life matter to God, as can be seen from Hebraic laws and prophetic critiques. God is concerned that the scales for weighing be exact, that farms be maintained by owners and not foreclosed, that lending be a matter of ethics and not profit, and that every child be fed. Gleaning, or what we would describe as the “social safety net,” was not optional nor was it a matter of generosity. It was law! God’s law, and it was required of landowners and institutions. The divine passion inspired prophets to cry out against the injustice of economic inequality and the dissonance of poverty in the midst of plenty. Everything is personal to God, and this means business and government as well as individual relationships. The Book of Ruth is more than a pretty love story. Now, I must confess that I like the happy endings of Hallmark movies. I delight in performing weddings and celebrating at wedding receptions. The Book of Ruth is often invoked in weddings and the relationship of Ruth and Boaz is often seen as purely romantic. But, it was also a matter of economic survival and the welcoming of a foreign women into the Jewish community. Ruth can be read as immigration story, as a reminder that strangers have a place in our communities because they are God’s children, too! Ruth can also be read as an argument for a strong social net provided by government and business as well as personal generosity. Worried about their survival, Ruth goes to the wheat fields to gather food, the leftovers at the edges, and perhaps to catch the eye Boaz, who will provide economic security for this mixed race family. As scripture notes: “And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, ‘Let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes I find favor.’” Ruth had a right to glean in the fields. She was poor and she was a foreigner and God’s law mandated that Boaz provide out of his largesse for the well-being of the power. All’s well that ends well. Ruth marries Boaz, bears a child, and becomes the great-grandmother of King David, Israel’s greatest king. Dig deeper, the greatest king was the descendant of a foreigner, an immigrant, and a welfare recipient. Although she was single and childless at the time, Ruth’s experience is similar to today’s single parents, the working poor, doing their best to support a family on a minimum wage job. Ruth’s experiences is also mirrored in the couple, both of whom work in the service industry, perhaps serving our lunches or cleaning our rooms, who barely scrape by, who receive no sick leave from their employers and must go to work or not be paid or lose their job, and who live from paycheck to paycheck and must depend on government services for health care and child care. (For more on Ruth, see Ruth and Esther: Women of Agency and Adventure.) In the midst of the election cycle, the Book of Ruth challenges any form of “dog whistle” politics that asserts that the poor are lazy and undeserving, and highlights “welfare queens” (with the implication that these are people of color) while neglecting our nation’s subsidies of corporations, many of whose employees must receive their health care from the government, our tax dollars, because wealthy corporates often fail to give benefits or a living wage to their employees. In today’s world, the practice of gleaning was a tax. It was God’s requirement, codified in Hebraic law. Generosity was encouraged in Israel, but generosity is always optional and arbitrary. Law is a requirement. Those who call themselves Christians would do well to look at the principle of gleaning, as well as the sabbatical and jubilee years, as a reminder that we have a social responsibility for the poor and vulnerable and that governmental support for vulnerable people is a necessity and not a luxury in securing the protection and the common good of the nation. This means fair taxes for the wealthy and corporations, who gain the most from our economic and governmental systems. Christians would do well to challenge candidates for whom lower taxes are an idol and who want to “starve the beast” and in so doing, starve our families and children. To God, it’s never just business or public policy or profit, its people and their joy and pain. God rejoices when the city streets are safe, children are laughing, everyone has enough to eat, and families are secure. God delights in just such public policies and governments that care for the least of these.
You might never have heard the expression “Servant Songs” before. But I’m sure you have heard of Isaiah the prophet and the book in the Old Testament that was written by him. And I’m also sure that you have read Isaiah 53 before. You know, that’s the place in the Old Testament with verses like “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon him, and by his scourging we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). This is no doubt the portion of Isaiah that Peter is pointing his audience to when he writes that Jesus “bore our sins in his body on the cross . . . for by his wounds you were healed” (1 Peter 2:24). But one thing you might not know is there are four “Servant Songs” in Isaiah, and the one we are most familiar with is actually the fourth—and longest. What are the “Servant Songs,” where are they, and what do they tell us about the identity of the Messiah? That’s our focus here, though we’re only going to focus on the first one.
These pictures were taken from Goldman’s Promenade on the Hill of Evil Counsel. The Goldman’s Promenade sits amidst the Peace Forest. The junction of the Kidron, Hinnom and Azal Valleys separate the Mount of Olives and the Mount of Evil Counsel, also called (Jebel Deir) Abu Tor. From the location of the Hill of Evil Counsel, one can see: the pine trees of the Peace Forest; the Old City of Jerusalem; Mount Moriah, the site of the first and second temples; the Dome of the Rock; to the west, the Hinnom Valley and Mount Zion; and to the east, the Kidron Valley and Mount of Olives with the Garden of Gethsemane and the Tower of Ascension. What in the world is the Mount of Evil Counsel? It is the location for: the attempted overthrow of King David by his son, Absalom; the place where the high priest Caiaphas and his colleagues decided to arrest Jesus; Judas Iscariot’s final hours; making battle plans; and, today, the United Nations headquarters.
The ancient hill is also identified as the place where Judas Iscariot finalized his contract to betray Christ. The flat-top area is called the Field of Blood where Judas made the deal on the arrest of Jesus for 30 pieces of silver, the blood money for betraying Jesus. Acts 1:18-19 states, Now this man acquired a field with the price of his wickedness, and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his intestines gushed out. 19 And it became known to all who were living in Jerusalem; so that in their own language that field was called Hakeldama, that is, Field of Blood. In this scenario of Judas betraying Jesus after his visit to the Hill of Evil Counsel, we are reminded of the betrayal of David by his counselor Ahithophel in the same location. 
The Lion’s Gate is located in the northeast section of the Old City Walls of Jerusalem. It is one of seven gates in Jerusalem that is open today; the Lion’s gate has numerous names that will be discussed. There are four lions near the crest of the gate, two on the left and two on the right. There is some discrepancy over what “cat” is actually on the gate; there are tales that the animals may be cheetahs, leopards or lions. The Lion’s Gate is known worldwide for several reasons: Muslim and Jewish identity; Jesus’s final walk from the prison to crucifixion; and the Six Day War. 
Hadassah’s father was blacklisted for marrying a Canaanite, and his business suffered. But, worse, he was attacked on the street by religious zealots. His faith was questioned and he was banned from worship services. Some of the neighborhood children taunted and teased Hadassah, insulted her parents, and even called her names, “half breed,” “pagan child,” and worse. The paradise of childhood became hell for Hadassah.
We read about the Mount of Temptation in the books of Matthew (4:1-11), Mark (1:12-13), and Luke (4:1-13). After Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist, the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the Judean desert wilderness to be tempted by the devil. It is believed that Jesus fasted for forty days in a cave on the Mount of Temptation, also called Mount Quarantal. The Mount of Temptation overlooks the oldest city in the world (10,000 years), the lowest point in the world (1300 feet below sea level), and the city of palms, the city of Jericho. Jericho is located in the West Bank and the Jordan Valley. The summit of the Mount of Temptation is seven miles northwest of Jericho. From the summit, one has a panoramic view of the Dead Sea, the Jordan Valley and the mountains of Moab and Gilead. The Jesus Cave, the place of fasting and meditation, is located within the parameters of the Greek Orthodox Monastery of the Temptation, which is about halfway up the mountain. At one time, the only way up the mountain was via a walking path, but today the monastery and Jesus Cave can be reached via a cable car.
In the second temptation, the devil took Jesus to the Holy City of Jerusalem an-d had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple. The devil said, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written, ‘HE WILL COMMAND HIS ANGELS CONCERNING YOU’ and ‘On their HANDS THEY WILL BEAR YOU UP, SO THAT YOU WILL NOT STRIKE YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE.’ ” (Psalm 91:11-12) Jesus responds with, “On the other hand, it is written, ‘YOU SHALL NOT PUT THE LORD YOUR GOD TO THE TEST.’ ” (Deuteronomy 6:16) Here the devil tempts Jesus with possessions, power and pride. We all like sporty cars or trucks, stylish clothing, beautiful homes, new technological gadgets, and the material world goes on and on! For a wealthy person or a person with leadership skills or gifts, it is a very strong temptation to get caught up in the devil’s schemes of power and possessions. Do you struggle to be strong in the Lord and allow Him to guide your acquisitions? Do you seek God’s will in how these things are used? Ask yourself, “Am I using these things to serve and glorify God?”
Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it. – Luke 19:41
The Western Wall lies within the Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem. Jews and Christians from all over the world come here to pray. One might view individuals at or near the Wall participating in numerous tasks as they stand before God: purifying through handwashing; preparing their minds for prayer through blessings and positions; reverently touching the Wall structure; bowing on bended knee; wailing or crying; praying; kissing the stonework; writing prayers and stuffing the folded prayers in the deep crevices of the stones; or reading from the Torah, the Jewish Old Testament. These behaviors date back as far as 30 B.C.E. and reaffirm the relationship and respect one has for G-d.
I photographed the font and promised myself that I would do further research on the purification font. Then if I ever had the opportunity to go back to Jerusalem, I would be on purifying myself before approaching the Wall for prayer. After researching and learning more about the handwashing ritual, I feel relieved that I had not washed my hands at the washing station because I would have dishonored Jewish tradition by doing this incorrectly. (I learned I had already dishonored tradition by turning my back to the Wall after praying and then carrying on a big discussion with fellow members of the tour group.)