Location, Location, Location

In real estate and pitching a baseball, location is everything. But can the same be said for biblical sites?

The last field trip in connection with my prophets' class was a visit to the Temple Mount on November 18. Among other things, I wanted to show the students the three leading candidates for the location of the first and second temples (Solomon's and Herod's), and to relive some important moments in the lives of Jeremiah and Ezekiel that either took place there or were the setting for some of their prophecies.

The reader may be surprised that the question of location even arises. Isn't the splendid building called the Dome of the Rock (Qubbat As-Sahkra in Arabic), the crown jewel of Islamic architecture, standing on the site of the first and second temples? In my opinion, yes. But, perhaps not surprisingly, there is considerable scholarly debate about the precise location of both sanctuaries.

Let's review the possibilities. In the slide below we see an aerial view of the Temple Mount or Haram esh-Sharif ("Noble Sanctuary") as muslims call it. This esplanade of some 35 acres owes its present shape and dimensions to Herod the Great who in B.C. 19 began a massive rebuilding project on the Second Temple. What is today called the Western Wall where Jews offer prayers is really part of the Herodian retaining wall that supported the enlarged area of the temple courtyards on top of ancient Mount Moriah. Yes, this is probably the mountain on which Abram was prepared to sacrifice his only son, Isaac (Genesis 22; 2 Chronicles 3:1). Both Jewish and Islamic tradition affirm this identification, although the Samaritans dissented and insisted it was on Mount Gerizim. Jesus had little patience with this deviant view (John 4:22)!

The next three slides visually illustrate the remarkable expansion of the original Solomonic Temple platform and courtyards. These slides are taken from Leen Ritmeyer's excellent website (http://www.ritmeyer.com) 1. Solomon had to build retaining walls for the First Temple because the summit of Mount Moriah provided insufficient space for the temple complex. 2. The Second Temple of Zerubabbel (dedicated in 517 B.C.) was refurbished and the courtyards surrounding it were enlarged in the second and first centuries B.C. by the Hasmoneans (better known as the Maccabees). In order to accommodate the enlarged area, the Hasmoneans extended the platform to the south as can be seen. This also allowed for the building of a fortress, the Akra, that served to protect the temple on the south. It also enabled the Seleucids (Hellenistic kings reigning in Syria) to police and control the large crowds of Jews who flooded the area during the festivals. 3. But as the third slide shows, Herod the Great expanded the temple platform to its largest extent by building retaining walls further to the north, south and west. This basic configuration has endured to this day through the vicissitudes of destruction by the Romans in A.D. 70, the neglect and paganization of the site during the late Roman and early Byzantine eras, the Islamic conquest, the Crusader Kingdom, the reconquest by the Muslims, and finally the finishing touches by the Ottoman Turks beginning in the 16th century. Add to that the many refurbishings and repairs necessitated by the wear and tear of time and you end up with a very complex site spanning nearly three millennia!

The next slide is marked by three letters. These letters are placed at the approximate location of the three leading candidates. Letter C is called the southern location and is approximately where the Islamic al-Kas fountain is located. This fountain, dating from the Ayyubid period is the largest of the fountains on the Haram. Muslims ritually wash here before entering either the Al-Aksa mosque to the south (A.D. 701) or the Qubbat As-Sahkra, the shrine that in later Islamic tradition marks the place where Muhammad ascended to heaven (A.D. 691). An Israeli architect, Tuvia Sagiv, champions this location. Letter B is the traditional site, the Dome of the Rock, also called the central location. This view holds that beneath its splendid dome where the bedrock of Mount Moriah rises above the floor level, either the Holy of Holies or the great bronze altar once stood. This is the majority view and is ably argued by Dan Bahat, an Israeli archaeologist, and Leen Ritmyer, a draftsman who has worked with leading Israeli archaeologists such as Benjamin Mazar, Yigal Shiloh, Ronny Reich, among others. Letter A is placed right next to a small Islamic dome called Qubbat Al-Arwa (Dome of the Spirits) or Qubbat Al-Louwa (Dome of the Tablets). This location is backed by another Israeli, Asher Kaufman, a physicist who has studied the problem for years. These are the primary contenders. Let's examine briefly their arguments.

Location C, the fountain of al-Kas, shown in the slide below, has in its favor the fact that it seems to answer several problems that arise with the traditional view. For example, how does one account for the fact that an aqueduct (remains of which may still be seen today) bringing water from south of Bethlehem (the so-called Pools of Solomon) to the Temple Mount appears to be about 20 meters too low in elevation if the tradition site of the temple is assumed. On the other hand, the fountain of al-Kas would nicely accommodate the existing level of the aqueduct. As you can see from the slide, al-Kas is some 20 meters lower in elevation than the Qubbat as-Sahkra, or Dome of the Rock.

Another argument for location C is that Josephus tells us a northern hill called Bizitha (probably to be identified with Gordon's Calvary just beside the Garden Tomb) blocked the view of the Temple from the north. Actually, the Temple could have been seen from as far north as Ramallah, assuming the traditional location of the Temple. If, however, one moves it to location C, a view from the north would indeed be obstructed.

There are also some sophisticated radar imaging studies that suggest underground structures to the south of the present Dome of the Rock. These are assumed by Sagiv to be related to the First and Second Temples.

In my opinion, each of these objections may be adequately answered by the traditional view. Rather than bore the reader with more detail than already given (!), I'll just refer the reader to an excellent website by Lambert Dolphin and Michael Kollen that covers all these arguments and you can decide for yourself (http://www.templemount.org/). But just one brief comment on the supposed problem of the elevation of the aqueduct. The Romans were skilled engineers and quite often, in a closed siphon system, lifted water up inclines so long as the initial starting point was higher than its ending point. Herod the Great incorporated the best of Roman technology in his masterpiece.

Let's jump to location A, the northern option as seen in the slide below. Kaufman has several arguments in support of his theory. First, and most obviously, he is right to point out that the Eastern or Golden Gate does not align nicely with the present Dome of the Rock, the latter being well south of the gate entrance. This assumes, of course, that the eastern gate complex was there during the First and Second Temple periods. In fact, there is some evidence that they were, but that doesn't require that the eastern gate be symmetrically aligned with the mikdash (the sanctuary). Kaufman also suggests that the Arabic names for this small unimposing dome recalls the fact that either the Spirit of God (al-Arwa means the wind or spirit of God) resided there or the Ten Commandments (al-Louwa means tablets) were inshrined there in the Ark of the Covenant. This linguistic argument is fanciful and not very convincing in my opinion. Other architectural features that Kaufman calls attention to are just as easily accounted for by the traditional view as his northern view. A major objection to the northern view is reconciling this location with the clear literary and archaeological evidence for the position of the Tower of Antonia. The northern option simply doesn't allow enough space for this imposing structure within the topographic confines of the Temple Mount.

The central view has the weight of historical tradition and some interesting architectural features in its favor. Shown below is the extraordinary Islamic shrine built by Abd al-Malik in A.D. 691 and which according to tradition was the location of the First and Second Temples. Historically, it hardly seems likely that the actual location was ever forgotten. Added to this is the fact that the Romans deliberately built a pagan shrine over the site after the destruction of A.D. 70 in order to defile it and discourage Jews from any efforts to rebuild. This in itself simply served to mark where the temple itself once stood! Beyond this Leen Ritmeyer has convincingly shown that the Mishnah's description of the sacred enclosure as a 500 cubit square can be nicely correlated with the existing platform and various architectural features that define this area. Most notable is a portion of a stairway on the northwest corner of the present Islamic platform that would have been the western side of the sacred enclosure. Once again, more detailed arguments may be found in Ritmeyer and his wonderful web site.

All things considered, the traditional site is still the most likely candidate. The rock scarp exposed beneath its dome may well have been where the Holy of Holies was once located. Seen below is a fish-eye lens view looking down from the dome to the floor of the Dome of the Rock. Notice the indentations on the rock surface. Ritmeyer notes that these conform to the dimensions of the Ark of the Covenant! If so, you may be looking at the exact location. Truly amazing!

Unfortunately, certainty is not possible. For one thing, archaeological excavations are not even remotely possible to determine which site is actually the authentic one. Excavation by Israeli archaelogists is strictly forbidden by the Waqf (the Islamic religious trust that overseers the Haram). On the other hand, in contravention of International Law, they have themselves engaged in massive building operations, such as the construction of a new mosque in the area known at Solomon's Stables, and have systematically removed or destroyed any visible evidence of the First and Second Temple periods. That there were such remains has been dramatically demonstrated by Gabriel Barkay, an Israeli archaeologist who has sifted the piles of rubble removed from the Temple Mount and dumped in the Kidron Valley by the Waqf workmen. The official position of the Waqf is that there never was a Jewish temple on the site! It is and always shall be an Islamic holy site. In this case, Middle Eastern politics and religion dictate what is historically possible!

In reality of course, the First and Second Temples stood somewhere on the Haram esh-Sharif or Har Habayt (Mountain of the House, i.e., Temple). Here Jeremiah stood at the entrance to the sacred enclosure and preached his famous Temple Sermon (Jeremiah 7, 26). Nearby, perhaps somewhere beneath the present Temple Mount platform, Jeremiah was incarcerated in a muddy cistern (Jeremiah 38:6). There are in fact a number of underground cisterns beneath the platform which have been investigated and measured by Captain Charles Warren back in the 19th century. His amazingly accurate plans may be consulted today be those interested. Below is a slide showing the locations of these cisterns.

Here too, Ezekiel, in a remarkable visionary experience, toured the temple courts and sanctuary and saw the abominations being perpetrated by apostate Jews (Ezekiel 8-11). In connection with this experience, Ezekiel also witnessed the symbolic departure of the glory of God from the Holy of Holies, exiting out the eastern gate and heading toward the eastern desert in the direction of Babylon (not too far from present day Baghdad). This was an ominous sign of the impending judgment that befell the First Temple in 586 B.C. Much to his surprise, Ezekiel saw the glory of God at the Chebar canal not far from Babylon (Ezekiel 1). The message was unmistakable: the sovereign God is not limited by geography. He is with his faithful people wherever they are, even in an alien, pagan land!

That brings me to my concluding point. Where is the Temple of God located today? The Christian answer is unmistakably clear: The individual body of believers and believers viewed corporately as the body of Christ constitute the new Temple of God (1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:15-20; 1 Peter 2:4-10). The Holy Spirit indwells each and every genuine Christian. Redemptive history has come near its apex. The Triune God actually takes up residence in the Holy of Holies, the heart of every child of God. This presence is a source of inexpressible joy and unshakable hope. The next great moment of redemptive history, the grand finale, features a face to face encounter with the true and living God (Revelation 21:3). This last encounter fuflills what Ezekiel the prophet saw in symbolic form: the return of the glory of God (Ezekiel 43).

I return to my starting point in this blog. It would appear that the exact, geographical locations of biblical sites are not of highest importance. What is of utmost importance, however, is the question of spiritual location. If one is not part of the body of Christ and thus indwelt by the Triune God, one's spiritual location is a matter of urgent concern. By no means do you want to miss out living in the New Jerusalem. In this case, location is everything!

From Jerusalem to Upland

It is, to be precise, 40 miles by Sherut from Jerusalem to Ben Gurion Airport in Lod, Israel, 7,000 airmiles from Ben Gurion to Indy by way of Philly, and about 75 miles by shuttle from Indy to Cracker Barrel just off I-69 at Exit 59. That all transpired during a time frame beginning 7:00PM Sunday night in Jerusalem and ending 12:30PM Monday Eastern Standard Time at Cracker Barrel, in good old Upland, Indiana. It took just over 24 hours to travel that distance. Amazing! Seven time zones and literally a world apart! We left with the temperatures daily in the 70's and were welcomed by a frigid 12 degrees. But we don't mind. It's good to be home!

Our dear friends, Tim and Pat Kirkpatrick, met us at Cracker Barrel with our car. Then they invited us for a bite to eat and Dwight and Karin Jessup, more dear friends, joined us. What a special welcome home!

It's going to take a few days to readjust to being home. Lots of errands and projects in order to catch up for missed days. Christmas decorations and shopping head the list since both our daughter and family and son and wife are coming for brief holiday visits. It will be great to be together once again.

So much has been experienced in the Holy Land. So much more that I wanted to convey to readers of this blog. Please be patient. I do indeed have a few more blogs planned about insights and observations on our time in haaretz (Hebrew word meaning "the land") This is the favored expression by Isrealis to refer to their country. You don't need to specify which land; for them there can only be one land, THE LAND, the land that the LORD himself described as "the most beautiful of all lands" (Ezkiel 20:6). Our recent visit has further strengthened our special affection for this unique land.

May all my readers have a wonderful Christmas!

"So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son." (Luke 2:4-6).

Random thoughts about our Jordan trip

Several times the Gospels mention that Jesus spent some time "beyond the Jordan" (Mark 8:8; 10:1). I recalled from studying the historical geography of Israel that during New Testament times that there was a district called Perea (Greek for "area beyond") along the east bank of the Jordan Valley, but I had never actually visited the area until this trip. I remember seeing it from the west bank of the Jordan (the Israeli side), but never really thinking about its importance for understanding Jesus' ministry in the Gospels. What I hadn't realized was how much more hospitable it is than the barren and desolate stretch of the west bank from Beth Shan to Jericho. The reason is simple enough: it has better soil and water resources. Silt from the highlands of Gilead to the east and springs and perennial streams like the Yarmuk and Jabbok combine to create a very viable living space. I was surprised to learn that the east bank of the Jordan from the sea of Galilee almost all the way to the Dead Sea is heavily populated and produces a wide variety of crops and vegetables.

All of this to say, in Jesus' day Perea was an important center of Jewish life and economy. It was also a major artery for Jewish traffic going from Galilee to Jerusalem. Rather than hazard the direct and shorter route down the water shed route that passed through Samaritan territory, most Jews of the first century crossed over to Perea and traveled along the east bank of the Jordan. When they were opposite Jericho, they re-crossed the Jordan, passed through Jericho and trekked up the ascent to Jerusalem (a climb of about 4,000 feet in some 12 miles!).

Besides the more congenial environment of the east bank, there were social and political factors. Tensions were extremely high between Samaritans and Jews during this period, punctuated by occasional bloody encounters. For this reason, Samaritans and Jews avoided each other if at all possible, as the account of Jesus and the Samaritan woman dramatically illustrates: "Jews do not associate with Samaritans" (John 4:9). The Jews of Jesus' day of course couldn't build a separation wall (!), but they could minimize contact. One can't fail to see striking but sad similarities to the modern Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

At any rate, the ministry of John the Baptist and Jesus in the region of Perea was as productive as the land itself. It was "at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan" (John 1:28) where John carried out his preaching and baptizing ministry. And it was there, from the circle of John's followers, that Jesus called his first disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter and an unnamed individual. Later on we learn that after a particularly difficult encounter with the religious leaders in Jerusalem (John 10:22-39), during the winter Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah), Jesus "went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days" (John 10: 40). Here his Jewish listeners responded to his preaching much more favorably: "And in that place many believed in Jesus" (John 10:42). Remains of churches from the Byzantine era in Perea testify to the fact that Christianity did indeed take hold "beyond the Jordan."

This trip also reinforced the importance of the Decapolis in the early spread of the gospel. The Decapolis was a district composed of ten (hence the name) important Hellenistic cities that were semi-autonomous and not under Jewish control as was the case in Galilee, Perea, and Judea. This region was located for the most part south of the Sea of Galilee and east of Perea, covering upper and lower Gilead. As you may recall, the first to evangelize the region was an unlikely candidate: the Geresene demoniac. After Jesus exorcised a "legion" of demons from this poor, tormented man, he begged Jesus to go with him. Instead, Jesus commissioned him to be a missionary: "Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you" (Mark 5:19). Not only did he tell his family, Mark tells us he "began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed" (Mark 5:20). Not surprisingly, this area later became an important center of Christianity, as we learn from the church historian Eusebius, and today one may admire the remains of many magnificent basilicas in the Decapolis.

These are just a few of the fresh insights that came to me after visiting the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. I think it important to inform my readers that a new day is dawning in Jordan as regards the gospel. The Jordan Evangelical Theological Seminary in Amman, the capital of Jordan, is training young men and women to share the gospel and minister to the spiritual needs of Christians not only in Jordan but in the entire Middle East. Pray for this ministry and ask whether you might contribute financially. Just Google the name of the seminary to find their website. As you might expect, Muslims make up over 90% of the population of Jordan and sharing the gospel is a challenge. But just like the Geresene demoniac, there are a few Jordanian Christians who are telling their families and friends how much the Lord has done for them. Like a mustard seed, the good news is being sown. The Lord of the harvest will do the rest. Have you told anyone today how much the Lord has done for you?

Jeremiah and Jesus

Another prophet who surely influenced our Lord was Jeremiah of Anathoth. Although Jeremiah was born and lived just a short distance from Jerusalem and Jesus grew up some 70 miles to the north in the small village of Nazareth in the region of Galilee, there are a number of fascinating parallels between these two prophets.

As a jumping off point (recall our previous blog!), it's worth calling to mind that many of Jesus' contemporaries thought he might in fact be Jeremiah come back from the dead. While in the region of Caesarea Philippi, Jesus asked his disciples: "Who do people say the Son of Man is?"(Matt 16:13). Their reply is fascinating: "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets." (Matt 16:14). What was it about Jeremiah and Jesus that caused some to make this identification? I want to offer a couple of responses to this question, especially since I've now begun teaching on the book of Jeremiah in my class at JUC.

Jeremiah and Jesus do share some common characteristics. For example, both prophets were not afraid to take on popular but mistaken views at variance with God's revealed will. In fact, Scripture records a sermon by both prophets that cuts against the grain of cherished belief and incensed the listeners.

In the case of Jeremiah, we have two versions of the same sermon, chapters 7 and 26. Whereas chapter 7 provides the essential content of Jeremiah's famous "Temple Sermon," chapter 26 narrates the outraged response of those who heard it. Jeremiah sounds an urgent alarm: unless there is genuine repentance, the city and its temple are doomed (Jer 7:14-15, 20, 32-34). The people held out hope that just as the LORD had spared Jerusalem in the days of Sennacherib the Assyrian (See Isaiah 36-37), so too the LORD would deter Nebuchadnezzar and his Babylonian army. Jeremiah dashes this vain hope by reminding them of what happened in the days of Eli to Shiloh and the Ark of the Covenant (Jer 7:14; cf. 1 Sam 4). This was precisely what the people didn't want to hear! They clung in desperation to any words of hope thrown out by false prophets like life lines tossed to sailors whose ship has sunk. Jeremiah cuts off all such false hopes of deliverance. It takes real chutzpah to do this sort of thing! As you might expect, the initial reaction of the audience was to put him to death: "You must die!" (Jer 26:8). Had not the LORD provided a few friends in high places, Jeremiah would almost certainly have perished that day (Jer 26:17, 24). This episode strikes a similar note to Jesus' sermon in his hometown of Nazareth (Luke 4) that I mentioned in my last blog.

But even more strikingly, Jesus also challenged the religious leadership of his day in the very place where Jeremiah had done so centuries before, only this time in the splendid Second Temple. After his entry on what we now call "Palm Sunday," (Matt 21:1-11), he proceeded to the Temple Mount and "drove out all who were buying and selling" and "overturned the tables of the money changers" (Matt 21:12). Significantly, he justified his actions by quoting none other than Jeremiah the prophet, indeed, from Jeremiah's Temple Sermon: "My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers." (Jer 7:11). Matthew tersely comments that the chief priests and teachers of the law "were indignant" (Mat 21:15). This time, however, the Lord did not provide human protectors for his beloved Servant; five days later the religious authorities arranged to have Jesus of Nazareth crucified. As we recall from Isaiah 53:9, "it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer."

Jeremiah, like Jesus, faced bitter opposition. Poor Jeremiah found himself a lonely voice shouted down by the numerous false prophets who condemned and ridiculed him all the while offering the people delusions and platitudes (Jer 23). Similarly, John's Gospel vividly portrays the contempt heaped upon Jesus by the religious leadership of Jerusalem. For example, in John 5:16 it says "the Jews persecuted him."[Note carefully that John typically uses the term "the Jews" in his Gospel to refer to the religious leaders and not the Jewish people as a whole. This must be constantly kept in mind when reading John's Gospel lest anti-Jewish or even anti-Semitic sentiments be encouraged or entertained] On another occasion, a crowd, largely in sympathy with the religious leaders in Jerusalem, accused Jesus of being demon-possessed (John 7:20). One time the Pharisees, in frustration at the power and impact of Jesus' works and words upon the ordinary people of Jerusalem, dismiss this admiration with utter disdain: "Has any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him? No! But his mob that knows nothing of the law--there is a curse on them." (John 7:48). The rhetoric reaches a fever-pitch in the eighth chapter of John when the religious leaders indirectly accuse him of being an illegitimate son (John 8:41), being a Samaritan [whom most Jews bitterly hated] and being demon-possessed!(John 8:48). Jeremiah and Jesus knew what it was like "to be despised and rejected by men" (Isaiah 53:3).

There are so many fascinating parallels between these two prophets I could fill several blogs, but I'll be content with two more links. The first, in fact, links together three famous prophets, Samuel, Jeremiah and Jesus. The Hebrew Bible uses the term na'ar for both Samuel and Jeremiah when the LORD called them to be prophets (1 Sam 3:1; Jer 1:6). There is general agreement that a na'ar would be in the range of 12-17 years of age, that is, before being on one's own and still dependent upon a father for support. Jeremiah actually lived only 3 miles, the way the crow flies, from the home of Samuel in modern al Ram. Remarkably, Dr. Luke tells us that, like Samuel and Jeremiah, at the tender age of 12, Jesus already displayed a profound understanding of spiritual matters (Luke 2:42). Interestingly, most believers come to personal faith during this same time frame. I was baptized when I was ten years old.

Finally, Matthew finds what at first sight seems a most obscure connection between Jeremiah and Jesus. It has to do with Judas' betrayal of Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, his tossing the coins into the temple treasury in remorse, and the religious leaders purchase of a field in which to bury foreigners outside Jerusalem with this "blood money" (Matt 27:6-10). Matthew says: "Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: 'They took the thirty sliver coins, the price set on him by the people of Israel, and they used them to buy the potter's field, as the LORD commanded me" (Matt 27:10).

A quick check to discover the source of this quotation reveals an interesting fact. Matthew has apparently brought together in one quotation two passages, Zechariah 11:12, 13 and Jeremiah 32:6-9. This illustrates a technique found in rabbinic exegetical tradition whereby two passages having common terms or concepts are conflated into one citation with only one source being actually cited. What we have in these two passages are the notions of buying a potter's field, paying a price which is so low as to be insulting, and throwing the coins to a potter in the temple precincts. Because Matthew sees the Old Testament prophets as foreshadowing and anticipating the coming of the Messiah, he sees here a correspondence between what happened in Jeremiah and Zechariah's day with what happened in Jesus' day. Jeremiah bought a potter's field for a price set by the people of Israel. Jesus was "sold out" by Judas for a price agreed upon by the leaders of the people of Israel.

Here is a bit of irony. Jeremiah never took possession of his property; he was forced into exile in Egypt and died there. Neither was Jesus buried in the field for foreigners (Acts 1:18-19). In fact, Jesus borrowed the tomb of a rich man for a few days--three as it turns out--and then he was exalted to the right hand of his heavenly father.

Reflections on Isaiah the Prophet

Today I held my last class on the prophet Isaiah. I regret that we had such a short time to examine the thought of this giant among the servants of the LORD, a recurring feeling each time I teach on the Hebrew prophets.

Here is a another prophet who greatly influenced our Lord Jesus. In fact, Jesus believed that the prophet Isaiah actually forecast his entire career! This is remarkable and requires a bit of unpacking.

There are five passages in the second half of the book of Isaiah displaying a distinct character and seemingly standing apart from their surrounding contexts. Scholars have labeled these passages as "the servant songs" because they feature a person who does the will of the LORD in a unique and unparalleled way. The passages in question are 42:1-9; 49:1-7; 50:4-11; 52:13-53:12; 61:1-3. The climactic song, the Mount Everest of the Old Testament, is without doubt 52:13-53:12. Here we have a sketch of the entire career of this choice servant of the LORD.

The passage begins on a note of triumph and exaltation: "See, my servant will act wisely; he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted" (52:13). But suddenly the song takes a surprising turn and plunges into descending levels of humiliation and suffering. This exalted figure is now a person at whom many are appalled and "his form is marred beyond human likeness." His background is lowly and unimpressive; he is "like a root out of dry ground" having little prospect, so it would seem, for the success the world craves. He is apparently not from the circles of the movers and shakers of his day. He was certainly not born with a "silver spoon in his mouth."

Beyond that, he "was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering." Popularity and fame are not his game. At this point, something almost inexplicable and unheard of happens. He becomes the scapegoat, the sin offering for "our" iniquities. I pointed out to my students the absolutely unparalleled circumstances that now unfold. "The LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. Nowhere else in the Old Testament does an individual serve in this way. To be sure, animals were sacrificed without number during this period as a means of covering over the multitudinous sins of humanity. But nowhere does the LORD ordain that a human being stand in for sinners and actually pay the price for their transgressions--except here.

The mystery deepens. The text speaks of his undergoing a vicarious and substitutionary atonement like a lamb led to slaughter and a sheep before her shearers, yet he uttered not a word in protest or outrage. He willingly endured this punishment. There can be no doubt: he died. "He was cut off from the land of the living." This is confirmed by the following statement that "he was assigned a grave with the wicked." How very tragic and senseless this all seems because "he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth." If ever there was an innocent victim, he was it. Confounding us is this unequivocal judgment: "it was the LORD'S will to crush him and cause him to suffer." How can this be?

Then the greatest mystery of all confronts us. The servant comes back to life! "Yet he will see his offspring and prolong his days . . . after the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities." How else can we describe this than a veritable resurrection from the dead?

The song now takes another dramatic turn. With the word "therefore" (53:12) the song soars and returns to the beginning point of triumph and exaltation: "I will give him a portion among the great and he will divide the spoils with the strong."

Christians, of course, know who this servant is. The Holy Spirit witnesses with our spirits that this is the song of the Savior, our great suffering servant, who "poured out his life unto death" and "bore the sin of many."

The New Testament testifies in numerous places concerning the belief of the earliest Christians about the identity of this servant (John 8:38; Matthew 8:17; Luke 22;37; Acts 8:32-33; 1 Peter 2:22; among others). They were not unaided in this identification. The Lord himself made it quite clear that he was in fact the suffering servant.

The most dramatic instance of this self-identification took place in his home town of Nazareth. On a Sabbath, the local boy came home and his reputation as a teacher and healer led to his being invited to read the Scripture reading for the Sabbath. The text that day was Isaiah 61:1-4. He read most of it and then stopped mid-sentence: "to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor" (Luke 4:19). He then rolled up the scroll and sat down. You can be sure he had everybody's attention! He had stopped reading in mid-sentence, something not to be done. Rather than start over again, he simply said: "Today, this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." (Luke 4:20). Too bad we don't have an audio recording of the congregational response. It must have been one of the most amazing collective gasps you've ever heard! Jesus of Nazareth virtually proclaimed that he was the prophesied servant of the LORD.

What he did next is revealing. The synagogue was doubtless caught up in messianic fervor of a pronounced nationalistic brand. They would have joined a revolutionary movement in a moment behind his leadership. They could taste national liberation from the oppressive rule of Caesar and his minions. Jesus bitterly disappointed them. He spoke instead of two times in the Old Testament, significantly, during the days of Elijah and Elisha respectively, when God showed mercy to Gentiles. This is not what that patriotic Jewish congregation wanted to hear. They didn't want Gentiles in their midst at all. They wanted to rid the land of them! It was painfully and immediately obvious that Jesus' agenda was not compatible with Jewish nationalism. Their admiration turned quickly to hatred and they sought to cast him over the precipice of "Jumping Mountain" that we showed on our blog last time. "But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way" (Luke 4:30). Dr. Luke has just given us in a nutshell the storyline of his Gospel. The Christian reader knows where it goes and ends.

I break off at this point and return to the fourth servant song, Isaiah 52:13-53:12. I pointed out to my students that if you lay out the passage in the form of a parabola, you have a visual representation of what Jesus did for us. The storyline in short is this: From glory to glory. But in between the beginning and ending points of this parabola, you have the deep descent into humiliation and suffering. This pattern, what I called "the divine parabola," is captured precisely in Paul's great hymnic passage in Philippians 2:5-11. It follows the same pattern of moving from glory ("who being in very nature God") to humiliation and suffering ("made himself nothing, taking the very form of a servant . . humbled himself . . . became obedient unto death--even death on a cross!). But just like in Isaiah 53:12, in Philippians 2:11, the word "therefore" signals a dramatic reversal of fortune: "God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name . . Jesus Christ is Lord." The Apostle Paul grasped what the prophet Isaiah was saying and memorably passed it along for the ongoing Christian community.

Yes, Jesus knew he was Isaiah's suffering servant. And just like the servant sketched in Isaiah 50:7, he set his face like flint (Luke 9:51), determined to accomplish his destiny with this assurance: "I know I will not be put to shame." And he was not.

"A great prophet has appeared among us!"

We just returned from a four day trip to the Galilee (In NT times a region including but not limited to the Sea of Galilee). It was both inspiring and exhausting! More than once I wistfully wished Isaiah the prophet's vision might come true "speedily and in my day." "The rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain" (Isa 40:4). We clambered down cliffs (at the Arbel), ascended the high place of Dan and plodded along the precipices of the Banias River gorge before finishing the day on the summit of a volcanic cone on the Golan Heights called Mt. Bental ("son of the dew"). Thankfully, we ended each day at a nice guest kibbutz called En Gev on the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee. A good supper and a night's rest can do wonders!

The single most powerful impression from my Galilee trip this time (I've visited the area about seven times previously) was reflecting on how Galilee must have shaped and spoken to Jesus of Nazareth. As I sat on "Jumping Mountain," the local name for a high precipice just on the outskirts of Nazareth that offers a splendid view of the Jezreel Valley below to the south, I could see several sites that were connected with some of the great prophets of the past.

Most notable were the dynamic duo, Elijah and Elisha. This blog will focus on the former. Clearly visible on the skyline was a site called Muhraqa, the highest point on the Mt. Carmel ridge that juts out into the Mediterranean on its western most extension. Up there, where we had been on the previous day looking toward the Nazareth ridge where I now sat, Elijah single-handedly took on the 450 prophets of Baal and his female consort Asherah in an epic power encounter. Which deity could make it rain? Baal or Yahweh (The Lord)? Seemingly, Elijah had triumphed with a spectacular display of the Lord's power over nature. Elijah had the false prophets executed and then ran before Ahab's chariot some 18 miles to the palace of Ahab at Jezreel. I could see the course of this super human feat right there before my eyes with Jezreel just off in the distance, almost directly across from where I sat. Too bad they didn't have stop watches in those days; Elijah's time was certainly a record never since achieved!

At any rate, the story goes on to make clear that Elijah was quite mistaken to think that a divine "fireworks" display was all that was needed to turn the nation back to the Lord. Jezebel snarled and snapped at Elijah threatening to end his life by the very next day! (1 Kings 19:2). Elijah, completely spent, collapsed before this threat. He "was afraid and ran for his life" (19:3). He fled all the way to Beersheva and then, leaving his servant there, he went a day's journey out into the forbidding desert of the Negev. He was overcome with a sense of complete failure and wanted to end his life then and there. The Lord, however, had other plans. He sent an angel to feed him and allowed him to get some much needed rest. After another nourishing meal, he was miraculously enabled to make a pilgrimage of 40 days and 40 nights to Mt. Sinai where Israel had initally pledged allegiance to the Lord God of Israel after the Exodus from Egypt (Exodus 19 and 24).

On that spectacular mountain, the Lord's presence was preceded by a powerful wind, an earthquake and fire. But, says the sacred historian, the Lord was not in the wind, earthquake or fire (1 Kings 19:11-12). Rather, Elijah heard "a gentle whisper." This was the profound truth that Elijah needed to grasp. People aren't typically converted by "power evangelism." They are brought to the Savior by the working of the Holy Spirit in their inmost being. To be sure, sometimes the Spirit of God performs convincing demonstrations of the power of God to unbelieving hearts and it is instrumental in their conversion. But most often, it is the secret, mysterious work of the Spirit (cf. John 3:8) in the human heart that brings about new birth.

I think Jesus thought often about that story. Jesus did perform mighty deeds and wonders among the people. One miracle in particular, was performed at a little village that now lay within my view. I could make out where the village of Nain had once been, nestled on the north side of Mt. Moreh. It was the village in which a little boy, the only child of a widow, was brought back to life by the Master. The response of those who witnessed it is recorded in Luke's Gospel (Note that only Luke records this miracle. Dr. Luke was fascinated by Jesus' power to heal the sick, cast out demons, and, yes, even raise the dead): "A great prophet has appeared among us" (Luke 7:16). Of course they were absolutely right, a great prophet had indeed arisen; the problem was they didn't grasp that he was much more than a great prophet. As Luke makes clear, Jesus is also "the Son of God" (Luke 1:35). There is a giant leap between affirming that Jesus is a great prophet and that he is the Son of God. Miracles per se can't span this gulf; only the Spirit of God can instill this confidence. It's like Jesus told Simon Peter after he made his great confession at Caesarea Philippi, a place we also visited on this trip. "Blessed are you Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven" (Matthew 16:17).

As I stood at Korazin and Capernaum on the last day of our trip, the words of Jesus echoed in my mind: "Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you Bethsaida! If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes . . . "And you, Capernaum . . . If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to his day." (Matthew 11:21-23). How tragic to actually see with one's eyes the works of God and still fail to really know him.

Jesus understood this. But he didn't succumb to self-pity nor did he think he must be a success as the world measures success (even pastors and evangelists sometimes fall into this deadly deceit). He knew his sheep would hear his voice and respond (John 10:2-4, 14-16). His mission would entail that he lose his life, but in a quite different sense than Elijah contemplated. His was not a death in despair (as Albert Schweitzer once claimed) but a death to end all death (Hebrews 2:9, 14). I think Jesus appreciated Elijah's courageous stand for Yahweh in his day. But I also think Jesus was very much aware of Elijah's shortcomings ("a man just like us," James 5:17). As a youngster, I wonder if Jesus stood on "Jumping Mountain" and, looking out over the Jezreel Valley, reflected on the life and exploits of Elijah.

There were other prophets that Jesus pondered about as he grew up in his home town of Nazareth. But let's save those for our next blog. Until then, keep listening for the gentle whisper of the Holy Spirit!

Reflections on Hosea

The book of Hosea speaks to a crying need of our day: commitment.

For the last two weeks my class in the prophetic landscape of ancient Israel has engaged this prophet to the northern kingdom of Israel. In all likelihood, Hosea was from the powerful and influential tribe of Ephraim. One notices, for example, that throughout his messages, Hosea refers to "Ephraim" as representative of all the northern ten tribes. Ephraim was the tribe from which Joshua came and early on was the leading tribe among the federation of twelve tribes. The ark of the covenant was housed at Shiloh deep in Ephraimite territory, which reflects the prestige accorded this tribe.

Hosea, however, is not happy with Ephraim, nor is Hosea happy with his wife, Gomer. And therein lies a profound story of a failed marriage; indeed, not one but two failed marriages, because Hosea and his wayward wife Gomer mirror another marriage, namely, that between Yahweh and Israel. Israel, like Gomer, was unfaithful to her wedded husband. The consequences for both Gomer and Israel were devastating and the emotional pain experienced by Hosea and Yahweh was intense.

I pointed out to my students that no prophet portrays the emotional pain of the Lord over his unfaithful people as vividly and realistically as Hosea (Hos 6:4; 7:13; 11:1, 8-9). This is truly remarkable and I want to share with my readers what I shared with my students.

The prophet Hosea teaches us that steadfast love (Hesed in Hebrew) triumphs over justice. What I mean is not that God simply turns his head the other way and ignores our guilt, but rather, that God extends extraordinary kindness and mercy to us even though we deserve to have "the book thrown at us." If you think about it, the Cross is the most profound instance of incomprehensible love one can imagine. The story of how Hosea reclaims and reconciles with his unfaithful wife Gomer mirrors God's unfathomable act of reconciling the world to himself through Christ not counting men's sins against them (2 Cor 5: 19). No plea bargain can compare to the settlement forged by a loving heavenly Father and his obedient Son in order to redeem sinners. And this self-giving love is the pattern to be replicated in the lives of all those who repent and receive the Father's gracious invitation to be reconciled. As the Holy Spirit pours out God's love in our hearts we are able to demonstrate grace and mercy to those who have deeply hurt us. This is well beyond ordinary human capability--it is a divine gift.

Secondly, the story of Hosea and Gomer highlights a major shortcoming these days. When the " for worse" part of our wedding vows actually happens, the reaction is all too often and all too quickly "cut bait and run." Wedding vows are now understood as strictly reciprocal: if my spouse doesn't live up to his or her promise, I am released from any obligation of commitment "till death do us part." Thankfully, the Lord doesn't deal with us in the same way. He leads us with "cords of human kindness" (Hos 11:4) and says to us, "How can I give you up, Ephraim?" (Hos 11:8). I realize that some marriages are so destructive there is no remedy but divorce. But most divorces should not have happened. They are testaments of failed commitments. It must have been the hardest thing in his life for Hosea to take back his unfaithful wife. But he did. Love can be rekindled but it takes a divine spark.

Thirdly, broken vows carry heavy consequences. Gomer paid dearly for her infidelities. Israel paid dearly for her spiritual harlotry in forsaking the one true and living God for lifeless idols. She spiraled down into the morass of immorality that always accompanies such utter foolishness (cf. Rom 1:21-32). In our lives, too, broken vows invariably eventuate in the reproofs of life. Much grief is the bitter fruit of broken vows.

Finally, the story of Hosea and Gomer reminds us of a deep mystery involving divine providence. God may allow us, like Hosea, to experience deep personal tragedy. When this happens, we can do as Job's wife suggested he do: "curse God and die" or, we can cry out for divine grace and mercy. Instead of succumbing to self-pity, we can rise from our ashes and brokenness and demonstrate a profound truth: God's grace is sufficient. "I can do everything through him who gives me strength" (Phil 4:13). Such a testimony is powerful beyond mere words.

Reflections on Amos of Tekoa

I took my students on a field trip to the West Bank on the 20th of September in order to visit the ancient site of Tekoa, hometown of the prophet Amos. Amos is generally considered to be the first of the writing prophets and so has considerable importance for the study of prophetic literature.

Being on the site of Tekoa gave me a sense of connectedness with this man. First of all, like Amos, my roots are in a ranching way of life. Amos raised sheep and cattle and so did my father on our ranches in Kent, Oregon. Secondly, the elevation of Tekoa, 2800 feet, is almost exactly the same as the ranch house on our homeplace in Kent. Thirdly, the rainfall of Tekoa is very close to the annual rainfall at Kent, about 10-12 inches per year.

Shown above is a picture of our group as we huddled under the shade of a Carob tree and a Juniper tree. Ah, there's another similarity. On our ranch we had juniper trees that grew in the canyons. Only in a few regions in the western US and in the middle east does the Juniper grow naturally. At any rate, what follows is a summary of material I shared with the students on our visit to Tekoa.

I asked the students to look around at the landscape of Tekoa and tell me what descriptive terms came to mind as they surveyed this site right on the edge of the cultivated land and the desert. Here are some apt phrases that readily came to mind:

• It's a desolate place, largely lacking in significant vegetation, especially as one looks eastward over the Judean wilderness. I pointed out that a wilderness in the Bible is quite different from a wilderness in southern Indiana or in western Oregon. A wilderness area in S. Indiana may receive up to 40 inches of rainfall a year, about four times as much as falls on Tekoa in an average year. In S. Indiana the terrain is cloaked with hardwood forests of maple, oak, hickory, gingko and tulip trees among others. In w. Oregon one finds the majestic Douglas fir. This is a far cry from the kind of wilderness over which Tekoa looks. Is it a coincidence that Amos describes the restoration of David's kingdom in terms that remind us of the Garden of Eden (Amos 9:13-14)? Probably not. To one accustomed to seeing the forbidding wilderness always lurking to the east, it's fitting that God's kingdom should be depicted as a lush garden.
• It's a place of quietness and solitude. Isn't it interesting that Amos denounces the religious festivals at the state-supported shrines in this strident tone: "Take away the noise of your songs" (Amos 5:23).
• Tekoa is a rocky place. Notice that one of Amos' rhetorical questions to his audience is the following: "Do horses run upon rocks?" (Amos 6:12). His listeners knew the answer to that one!
• Tekoa lacks readily available water resources. Cisterns had to be cut out of the limestone in order to capture the limited rainfall that fell, but that was about it. The nearby wadis (Arabic word for canyons) were seasonal and had running streams only during the rainy season (Nov-April). No surprise then that Amos mentions a lack of rain as one of the covenant curses the Lord would send if his people would not obey his laws (Amos 4:7-8). And it's surely not a coincidence how Amos describes a fundamental covenant obligation of Israel: "Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever flowing stream" (Amos 5:24). And is it mere happenstance how Amos portrays the great Creator in the doxology of 9:5-6? "Who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out upon the surface of the earth--the Lord is his name."
• It's a place from which one has a clear view of the heavens. Of course the students couldn't see this because we were there at mid day. But if we had stayed until nightfall, we would have been treated to a marvelous display. God's great light show would have lite up the sky! In the words of Amos, "He who made the Pleiades and Orion, and turns deep darkness into the morning, and darkens the day into night . . . the Lord is his name" (Amos 5:8-9).
• It's a place connected to other towns and villages. I pointed out the town of Bethlehem to our north only about seven miles away. I reminded the students that Amos would have been very much aware of a most important individual who grew up in the "little town of Bethlehem."This of course was the greatest figure in Israelite national history, King David. Amos and David shared much in common. They were both Judahites and both grew up taking care of sheep and goats. They both knew the Wilderness of Judah like the back of their hands. Both doubtless had many stories to tell about their encounters with predatory critters. Just like young David impressed King Saul with his prowess against a bear and lion, so Amos tells his listeners about a man who had a close call with both a lion and a bear (Amos 5:19). So it should be no surprise that when Amos speaks about the Lord's future plans for Israel, he refers to "the booth of David that is fallen," which will be raised up once again so that it can be rebuilt as in days of old (Amos 9:11). In other words, he sees a restoration of the dynasty of David. This restoration has already begun! As James, the half-brother of Jesus, puts it in the book of Acts, the Jesus movement is the beginning of this fulfillment of Amos' vision (Acts 15:14-18). Our great king Jesus is the legitimate heir of the house of David and even now sits on his throne. We await his return in glory and the full restoration that takes place on that day.

I concluded our day at Tekoa with this observation: God's revelation to us in Scripture comes wrapped in the garb of humanity, shaped by the world in which the recipients lived. God accommodates his revelation to human beings in terms that are appropriate to the times and places during which and in which he revealed himself. Amos speaks the very words of God in the words of a man reared right on the edge of the Wilderness of Judah. This is a feature of revelation that needs both to be appreciated and respected. And this can best be appreciated in the land of the Bible!

Tale of Two Jerusalems

Last night was erev Shabbat (Sabbath evening) and the JUC community held their Shabbat meal and Vespers service out in the garden under a sukkah that the students had made. A sukkah is a temporary shelter that Jewish families build during the feast of Sukkoth that began on Wednesday sundown and lasts a week. During that time observant families take all their meals under the sukkah to remind them of the days of God's provision during the wilderness wanderings and of the bountiful harvest now complete (see Leviticus 23:33-43). I was the speaker for Vespers and what follows is a summary of my message

I began by reminding them of the central place that Jerusalem has occupied in the hearts of the Jewish people and Christians over the centuries. I then turned to a text in Isaiah that describes this "Holy city": "O afflicted city, lashed by storms and not comforted" (Isaiah 54:11). How ironic that a city whose name means "city of peace" has in fact suffered more war and desolation than perhaps any other city on earth! As we walk about the Old City, we are literally walking over the rubble and ruins of previous Jerusalems lying in some cases more than fifty feet below the present street level. If the bones and stones of those destruction layers could cry out, we would only hear moans and groans: Jerusalem of the past is a mausoleum of dashed hopes.

Outwardly, modern Jerusalem and the modern version of the Old City seem peaceful and prosperous enough. As modern cities go, Jerusalem is relatively safe, offering amenities and malls rivaling that of any modern world city. But it doesn't take long to realize that appearances can be deceiving. The last few days have once again reminded me how divided and tense things are just below the surface. A Palestinian man was shot and killed by a Jewish security officer in a section of Jerusalem where a few Jews are trying to live in the midst of a predominately Arab section. Needless to say, the primary source of tension and hostility in Jerusalem is that between Israelis and Palestinians. The Old City and Arab sections of Jerusalem are seething in anger and resentment at Israeli policies. But it is hardly the only one. Within the Arab community there are deep divisions and rivalries, sometimes flaring up into bloodletting episodes among the Fatah, Hamas, Al Qaeda and other factions. Israeli tensions run deep between the Orthodox and Ultra-orthodox wings of Judaism on the one hand and secular Israelis on the other. Even within Jewish orthodoxy there are bitter divisions and rivalries. The Christian community here is hardly any better with long-standing resentments and bitterness between the Latin, Greek Orthodox, Armenian, Coptic, Ethiopian and various Protestants denominations. The squabbling among them is shameful.

All of this to say, Isaiah's sad description of Jerusalem in his day is still an apt one for the Jerusalem of our own day. But that isn't the entire story in Isaiah. In fact, his book is noteworthy for a major theme that courses its way through his majestic work. He tells us a story about two Jerusalems. One is the story I've just rehearsed and summarized. A story about a city whose people are afflicted and lashed and not comforted. That's the Jerusalem of ancient and modern times. A Jerusalem where hopes and aspirations are never realized. Remarkably, however, Isaiah describes another Jerusalem, a Jerusalem I'll call the Heavenly Jerusalem, the city of God. It's a glorious, resplendent city, a city of enduring peace, filled with justice and righteousness. We catch glimpses of this wonderful city throughout his book as he juxtaposes snapshots of these two dramatically different cities along the way. For example, like a slide show, Isaiah flashes up a picture of a devastated, depraved city in chapter one of his book (see 1:2-2a5)only to follow that with another slide of a righteous, faithful city wherein peace and justice reign (1:26-27). In chapter 2:1-5 we have an inspiring vision of a future Jerusalem which is a magnet for the world and in which the law of the Lord goes forth and peace at last prevails. But then suddenly the slide changes and we see Jerusalem as it really was in Isaiah's day: a sordid, unjust, unfaithful city, suffering the penalty for their waywardness.

I then drew attention to a delightful description of the New Jerusalem in Isaiah 4:2-6. The Lord promises that his glory cloud would settle down upon Mt Zion and Jerusalem just like it did in the days of Moses and the wilderness wanderings. The residents of Jerusalem would dwell under God's canopy (the Hebrew word for canopy is huppah, which refers to the marriage canopy under which Jewish couples take their vows). The Lord also promises be a shelter for his people and the word for shelter is sukkah, the temporary booth made during the feast of Tabernacles. As we were at that very moment sitting under a sukkah I think that resonated!

All of this sets up a major problem: How can we experience the New Jerusalem and not be doomed to dwell in the Jerusalem of past and present? Isaiah the great evangelical prophet provides the answer. He tells of a great descendant of David and child born as Emmanuel who will reign in justice and righteousness (Chapters 7 through 11). In the second part of his book Isaiah then turns to the mysterious figure the Suffering Servant (Isaiah 53). Here is the mystery of our salvation. The Great King is also a Great Savior. He dies in our place and on our behalf. He pays the price for our sins. Those who embrace him as Savior and Lord become citizens of the New Jerusalem. This New Jerusalem is a reality not a mythical place like Narnia. It is a hidden, spiritual city that the world cannot see. But one day it will become visible and public. The Great King will return and consummate his great kingdom. The centerpiece will be the New Jerusalem, resplendent as a bride (Revelation 21:1-8). All our aspirations will be exceeded by the New Jerusalem.Isaiah already saw it. He gives us a sneak preview in Isaiah 54:11-14, immediately following his grim description of the Old Jerusalem! Again in 65:18-19 we catch a glimpse of this marvelous city. The Apostle John simply picks up and elaborates on Isaiah's vision in his own vision on the island of Patmos (Revelation 21:1-8; 22:1-6).

So, what should our response as believers be to this great prospect. As the Psalmist says in Psalm 122 we should "pray for the peace of Jerusalem. The current residents, and by extension, all human beings who are not presently members of the New Jerusalem will never find their hopes fulfilled in the Old Jerusalem. It is doomed. But in Christ there is a glorious future. Second, we must say to others "Peace be within you." This calls for personal sharing of Christ with those we come into contact with. We do it by both word and deed. Thirdly, we raise our voices in grateful praise and thanksgiving to the one who is going to "make all things new." Eye has not seen nor ear heard the things that God has prepared for those who love him. This is our anchor for all times.

This brings me to the

Yom Kippur

This evening at sundown begins the most solemn day in Judaism, Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, ushered in a period of ten days called Yamin Noraim, the days of awe. This is a time of introspection and self-examination with special prayers in the synagogue climaxed by special services on Yom Kippur beseeching the Lord for mercy and forgiveness. The truly penitent are assured that a merciful God will indeed forgive and, in effect, wipe the slate clean for a new year.

This communal act of catharsis and reflection is doubtless a good thing and, for those who take their Judaism seriously, it must be a quite meaningful experience.

All of this prompts me to reflect on how this compares with and differs from Christianity. There can be no doubt that in several places the language of the New Testament echoes the ancient traditions of Yom Kippur. The most obvious example is the book of Hebrews. The centerpiece of this clearly Jewish Christian writing is the portrayal of Jesus as our great High Priest after the order of Melchizedek in chapters five through ten.

Just like the ritual of Yom Kippur, Christians are urged to "approach the throne of grace with confidence so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need" (Heb 4:16). But there is a very significant difference: Jesus our high priest does something for us that is non-repeatable and non-replaceable. He has entered into the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, on our behalf and offered himself, not the blood of bulls and goats but his own blood (Heb 6:19-20; 7:18, 26-28; 10). How effective was the self-sacrifice on our behalf and in our place? The author of Hebrews says it cleanses our consciences so that we may serve the living God! (Heb 9:14). He says it cleanses us once for all and that we no longer have to feel guilty for our sins! (Heb 10:2). The redemption Jesus accomplishes is called eternal (Heb 9:12) and it saves us completely (Heb 7:25).

As the author of Hebrews makes abundantly clear, believers in Christ are under a new covenant arrangement mediated by the blood of Jesus. There is no need to repeat the Yom Kippur ritual of the old covenant because our sins have been dealt with once and for all by the sinless one.

On the other hand, is there still some relevance for Christians in the Yom Kippur traditions of Judaism? I think there is. Although the guilt and penalty of our sins have been atoned for by Christ's death on the cross on our behalf, we are not turned into sinless people when we accept Christ as Savior. We still possess a fallen nature and we still commit sins. These must be dealt with. The penalty has already been paid but sin disrupts fellowship with a holy God. This break must be repaired. Here is where the Yom Kippur ceremonies can be helpful. The New Testament epistle make clear that post-conversion sins must be confessed and turned away from. In the words of John the Apostle: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). The difference from Judaism is that we shouldn't wait until once a year to confess our failings and faults: this should be on a daily or as needed basis. We need to keep short accounts with God. Don't let sins build up and choke our fellowship with God and neighbor. Let's clean house regularly. In the Christian tradition, the Lord's Supper serves as a wonderful opportunity to do precisely as the Apostle Paul requires: examine ourselves before we eat the bread and drink the cup (1 Corinthians 11:28).

In short, Yom Kippur can serve to awaken our Christian consciences to the seriousness of sin and the urgent necessity to seek daily his forgiveness and cleansing. Through the work of our great High Priest this is not an impossible dream; it's a living reality.

Modern Judaism has a dilemma. They have no sacrificial ritual anymore. The hope of a rebuilt and restored Temple complete with a sacrificial ritual is a pipe dream for a minority of Jews. Judaism in both its Orthodox and Reformed expressions substitutes good deeds and good intentions for blood sacrifice. I do not discount these expressions of piety; they are praiseworthy. The problem is they are woefully insufficient to deal with the root problem. Here is where the glory of the Gospel shines forth. In Christ our most basic problem has been dealt with and we have divine resources to deal with our ongoing struggle with sin. In Paul's words, we are saved by grace and it is by that same grace that we work out our salvation. May Jesus Christ be praised!

Behold the man!

Well, we knew this would happen regularly during our stay in Israel and, sure enough, it already has. A new and in my opinion, convincing theory about the location of the infamous place "called the Pavement, and in Hebrew, Gabbatha" (John 19:13) has surfaced. Shimon Gibson, an archaeologist, believes this pavement is located just outside the Old City wall about midway between Jaffa Gate and the southern end of the west side of the Old City wall.

Scholars are pretty much agreed that the Via Dolorossa, traversed by literally millions of tourists and pilgrims since its inception in the 18th century, is not historically accurate. There is a consensus that Pilate would have taken up residence in Herod's Palace which was located south of David's citadel and covered much of what is called today the Armenian Quarter. This photograph is looking south along the line of the Turkish wall built by Suleiman the Magnificent in the 16th century. By the way, the road in the right center of the picture leads to the campus of JUC. Notice the Armenian Quarter parking lot just inside the wall. Herod's courtyard would have covered that area (and more).

What Gibson has done, however, is posit a credible location for the actual Gabbatha or Pavement. Earlier in his excavations under Magen Broshi during the 1970's, Gibson had helped uncover a portion of the courtyard of Herod's Palace. Here is a photograph of a model of Jerusalem during the time of Jesus showing Herod's splendid palace and grounds. Note the two building complexes. The one on the left (or north) probably consisted of service buildings, and the one on the right (south) served as a barracks. This is where Pilate stayed when he was in Jerusalem.

So much has been generally agreed upon. What Gibson now maintains is that he has identified the steps leading up to a gate granting access to the courtyard area of Herod's palace, a gate Josephus (a first century Jewish historian) called "the Essene Gate." I'm not convinced about this being the Essene Gate, but what I do find compelling is his claim that the steps and gate area are where the "judgment seat" (John 19:13) was located and where Pilate uttered the famous words, 'Behold the man "(John 19:5) and where he finally handed Jesus over to the religious authorities to be crucified (John 19:16).

Seen here is a photograph of the Turkish wall viewed from the west. On the other side of the wall is the Armenian Quarter parking lot shown earlier. Notice that right at the base of the wall is an outcropping of stone and in the foreground one sees what appears to be steps leading up to that outcropping.

Shown here is a photograph I took this past week of Joyce standing on one of those steps on the outcropping. It would appear that they originally led up to a gate admitting one to Herod's courtyard. Notice how the Turkish wall rests on top of the earlier Herodian era stones, a not uncommon thing in this most uncommon city.

Seen below is Gibson's reconstruction of what the steps and gate area might have looked like with Jesus seen standing at the top and visible to the crowds below. The area would easily accommodate hundreds of spectators. If this reconstruction is correct, Joyce is standing very close to the place where Jesus stood condemned!

In the words of the old hymn: "Bearing shame and scoffing rude, In my place condemned he stood; Sealed my pardon with his blood. Hallelujah! What a Savior!"