Day 7: Monday June 1, 2015 Harry’s Sunday Night Service at the Dead Sea Hotel (05/31/2015) Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” (ESV)

Post Resurrection: 40 day teaching seminar Up to 500 people saw him in Galilee Bottom up from the people Top down through the leadership Jesus and the Apostles encountered. 19 of 23 places Paul visited were capitals of their respective territories.

You have to GIVE to LIVE! Someone else invested in me. How many "Seas" have we seen? 2 Sea of Galilee & Dead Sea... Difference is that one is flowing through and the other give out nothing except through evaporation. He did not call us to be a reservoir but a vessel.

It is now time to “go up” to Jerusalem.

Wadi Qelt / Assent of Adummim / Wilderness route between Jericho and Jerusalem

The wadi itself is good for travel only for those out for a pleasant day hike. In ancient times, people made their way on the route above. Some of the biblical events which likely occurred on this route include: David’s flight from Absalom (2 Sam 15-16), Zedekiah’s flight from the Babylonians (2 Kgs 25:4), the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), and Jesus’ travels from Jericho to Jerusalem (e.g., Luke 19:28).

Bedouins men and children

waited with the obiligatory camel

to sell their wares and pictures

with the camel. An amphitheater had been built

into the rock. While we sat and listen to Harry

several young Bedouin boys came and peered

over my shoulder at my tablet. When I did not

immediately shoo them away they became embolden and asked if they could draw

on the tablet (<<< their picture). I told them only if they sat still and did not

fight. I was concerned it would be a distraction but felt strongly that Jesus would

have me show kindness and share. This is what one of them drew. Eventually they began fighting

among themselves and one of their elders came and made them quit.

Turn West toward Jerusalem through the Anatoly Judea Desert by way of Jericho where Joshua and

Caleb came first

Fortifications of Jericho: Two sets of walls outer and inner walls

Jesus would have often walked this way (red) to and

from Jerusalem from the Galilee

The Psalms of Ascent have

been and continue to be

significant in worship for both the

Jewish and Christian faiths. This

collection of prayers, poetry, and

songs is used for individual

meditation, as well as for

collective use in worship. During

the time of the Temple, priests

sang the Psalms of Ascent as they

entered the Temple. It says in the

Mishnah (first written recording of

Jewish tradition), “On the fifteen steps which led into the women’s court, corresponding with the

fifteen songs of degrees, stood the Levites, with their musical instruments, and sang” (m. Sukkah

5:4-5). Even today, selections from the Psalter (a collection of psalms) are sung during worship

services in many Christian churches. The Psalms of Ascent are also part of the Jewish prayer book,

the Siddur (prayer book). Psalm 126 is one of the weekly Sabbath prayers and is also included on

holidays, “When the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion, we were like those who dream” (v.1).

The Psalms of Ascent would also have been memorized and sung as all the Jewish people traveled long distances to Jerusalem every year for the three pilgrimage festivals of the Lord. Deuteronomy 16:16 says, “Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord your God in the place which He chooses: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Tabernacles; and they shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed.” These were

appearances before the Lord by the individual, but the pilgrimages were also done as the entire nation of Israel. The festivals were times of great joy and anticipation as they went up to meet with the Lord. The Hebrew word for festival is דעומ “mo-ed” (Strong’s H4150). It means an appointed time or place; a sacred season or set feast. It was a time on God’s calendar that was set aside for His people. God is our Fortress We will enter the city as pilgrims have since ancient times to fulfill the words of the prophet “I was glad when they said unto me: Our feet shall stand within thy Gates, O Jerusalem’” (Ps. 122:1-2). First entrance into Jerusalem…. Song & view of from Mt Scopus

The Holy City Last night I lay a-sleeping

There came a dream so fair, I stood in old Jerusalem Beside the temple there.

I heard the children singing, And ever as they sang

Methought the voice of angels From heaven in answer rang,

Methought the voice of angels From heaven in answer rang.

Jerusalem! Jerusalem!

Lift up your gates and sing, Hosanna in the highest! Hosanna to your King!

And then methought my dream was changed,

The streets no longer rang. Hushed were the glad Hosannas

The little children sang. The sun grew dark with mystery,

The morn was cold and chill, As the shadow of a cross arose

Upon a lonely hill, As the shadow of a cross arose

Upon a lonely hill.

Jerusalem! Jerusalem! Hark! How the angels sing,

Hosanna in the highest! Hosanna to your King!

And once again the scene was changed,

New earth there seemed to be. I saw the Holy City

Beside the tideless sea. The light of God was on its streets,

The gates were open wide, And all who would might enter,

And no one was denied. No need of moon or stars by night,

Or sun to shine by day; It was the new Jerusalem

That would not pass away, It was the new Jerusalem

That would not pass away.

Jerusalem! Jerusalem! Sing for the night is o'er! Hosanna in the highest! Hosanna forevermore!

After a magnificent view from Mt. Scopus, we visited Bethlehem. We ate lunch at Edward Lama’s restaurant

before our tour of the Nativity Complex

Church of Nativity Complex: Door of Humility; The Nave of the Church of Nativity; High Altar and Greek

Orthodox Basilica (Iconostasis); Stairs to Grotto; Grotto of the Nativity – A Silver Star marks the spot where

Jesus Christ is believed to have been born; Franciscan Courtyard; Grotto of St. Jerome; St. Catherine’s Church;

Greek Orthodox Monastery; Greek Orthodox Courtyard; Armenian Courtyard

Shepherds Field City: The fertile fields of Beit Sahour are

believed to be where this biblical scene took place, 2 km

southeast of Bethlehem.

The Field of Boaz & Ruth is not too far away. It is east of the

Palestinian town of Beit Sahour, in the fertile plain that

descends to the Dead Sea. Now increasingly hemmed in by

buildings, much like the Shepherd’s Field, it lies in a shallow

valley north of the Shepherds’ Field Greek Orthodox Church.

Significance of the Nativity in Bethlehem is the fulfillment of scripture and the vision of the Kingdom

Shepherds, Jews, least of these

Wiseman, Gentiles, great men

Innocents killed would have been no more than

40...very small town… but still a terrible tragedy

Jesus came here to go to Calvary. Born to die.

Attempts to distract:

Hadrian came and built Pagan temples over sacred

sites.

Hadrian built a temple to Hermes at the site of

Calvary

4th century Aphrodite Bethlehem

Continued importance of Bethlehem / Nativity Complex

Justinian second church was not destroyed because

of the presence of Wiseman

Jerome' Cave (at the entrance to the Nativity cave)

translation of Scripture from original languages into

Latin called the Vulgate. Jerome was a Godly man

but introduced apocryphal writings as Scripture.

Used by the Reformers as justification for translation

into English

Jerome’s Statue: Skull = Sign of victory over death 5th century on...

Harry hurding cats through the Nativity Complex. A stone manger from Megiddo probably very similar to the

one in which Jesus was placed. Harry leading worship in Nativity Crypt.

After our tour we made the obligatory stop for souvenirs and at Edward Lama’s Souvenirs there is something

for everyone!

After shopping we returned to Jerusalem and checked into the Jerusalem Ramada.