Day 5: When Worlds Collide
As I write this we are on a boat on the Sea of Galilee. Mick just had the honor of raising the American flag on the boat and we are now listening to worship music as we glide along on the Sea. As we arrived in the Galilee region, it was about Jesus, where he walked, the "real" of him.. and oh so real. Yesterday, we went up to Golin Heights along the Syrian border. This is the area that was controlled by Syria but now is in the hands of Israel. On the way, we stopped at Qatzrin, another destroyed city in ruins from the 1st century. Leaving a synagogue and other areas in ruins, they have reconstructed some of the housing so we could get a first hand experience of the homes of that time. The story of the paralyzed man being lowered thru the thatched roof came to life as we stood in the cramped, hot stone building with the high thatched roof. Oil candles burning for light. Three rooms - kitchen, maybe sleeping or store room and living space. Many of us have bathrooms in our homes bigger than these rooms. Cramped, dark, hot, rock walls, rock floor, thatch roof... now imagine half the town crammed into this little space listening to the new Rabbi in town. Very impactful, will never hear a story about being in a home the same again.
We\'ve heard a lot about community as these people lived in such close quarters, no privacy, all family, everyone knowing and in everyone else\'s business. We could use more community in the world we live in. We are not, are not, meant to do it alone. That is why we are brothers and sisters in Christ. Family. Who\'s your family? Who will run toward you in crisis, be there when you call or kick down the door when you need a good talking to?
We witnessed a scholar in the ruins of the transcribing room off the side of the synagogue writing in pen and ink on strips of papyrus paper. Mick and I had the following verse transcribed into Hebrew: Strength, strength, together we are strong. Mick and Deb
At the top of Golan Heights, we looked onto Syria, saw the bunkers and sniper sites and heard the history of the region. We then headed to Mt. Hermon - the highest spot in Israel and the beginning of the Jordan River.
Then worlds collided. Caesarea Philippi. Harods son built Caesarea as his capital. Described to us as Las Vegas, what happened here stays here. This was the epicenter for Pagan Worship, particularly Pan. We walked among ruins of the temples to Augustus, Pan and Zeus. In the center of the temple ruins is a deep cavern which houses the underground spring that feeds the Jordan River. Literally the birhplace of the Jordan River. Up until 80 years ago when a strong earthquake occurred, the water came up and flowed out of the cave, though now it\'s underground.
This is the place where Jesus came with his guys to what was clearly the worst of the worst. Pan was believed to go into the underworld thru the cavern to visit his father - the keeper of Hell. Thru sexual acts with temple prostitutes and animals, Pan would be lured back from the underworld into our world. Got the picture? This was Caesaria Philipi. The beginning of the Jordan River and the entrance to the gates of Hell. Somehow I never thought of where you would find the gates of Hell. There is a Rabbinic saying, that the Messiah would not return until Caesarea Philippi didn\'t exist because the Messiah and Caesarea Phillipi can\'t exist at the same time.
So this is where Jesus came. Here he asked, Who do you say I am? At the
entrance to the gates of Hell, he said here I will build my church, not even Hades will overcome it. Wow. This is the spot where Jesus claimed God of all standing on all religions.
Of everywhere we\'ve been, I found this so disturbing. It was beautiful, almost oasis-like but very oppressive. Although my old life (pre-Jesus) was never to this extreme, many if my friends/acquaintances danced in the world of Pan / lust / pagan worship. Somehow I\'ve never envisioned a gateway to the underworld, yet at least in ancient times, here it was. I couldn\'t leave fast enough. I daily wear this scripture on a dog tag around my neck:
Col 1: 10-14 ... "so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."
He has delivered us from the domain of darkness. I didn\'t like standing once again on the precipice of darkness.
Day 5 - Part Two coming shortly....
