One of my favorite OT stories is found in 1 Samuel 4 and 5. The people of Israel battled the Philistines, and in an attempt to win the battle, they brought the Ark of the Covenant into the battle. They didn't ask God, they believed that with the Ark leading the battle, they could not lose. Where once the people respected the Ark as the place where God dwelt, they now looked at it as a good luck charm, a sign of how far the priesthood had wandered from the Word of the Lord.
The Philistines, at first afraid because they knew the stories of how the Israelites defeated all foes when the Ark led the way, instead of retreating, they fought with all they had and routed the Israelites. They took what they considered to be the god of Israel to the house of their god, Dagon, in Ashdod. The next morning they entered the temple and found Dagon face down before the Ark. They put the statue back on its stand and when they entered the next morning, Dagon was not only on his face, but his head, hands and feet were cut off...that is what the Philistines did to conquered kings. After a sojourn in 4 of the Philistine cities which experienced boils and sores until the Ark left, the Philistine leaders sent it back to Israel on a cart pulled by nursing cows. They said, if the cows turn to their calves, then it was all coincidence.
The Philistines recognized the hand of God when the cows carried the Ark into Israel.
We visited Ashdod, Ashkelon and Ekron, 3 of the 5 Philistine cities. Ashkelon has an excavated original Canaanite mud gate, from the time of the Judges. The archeologists in our group were thrilled. They talked about the gate, how it was made, what it means that it still exists...We walked through the gate and then around the park, visiting the rest of the ruins. The park was filled with picnickers enjoying a holiday. The aroma of bar-b-ques emphasized that I was hungry. Music and laughter filled the air, much like a holiday at home.
Ashdod contained a Roman citadel, blocked off so that we could not get in. Our car got stuck in the sand, in fact 2 of the 3 cars we took got stuck in the sand. We got them out and continued on our way.
We searched a Kibbutz for Ekron and finally found an arrow pointing to a field ready for planting. They covered the ruins to plant food. They commented about the archeologist who had worked hard to excavate Ekron and how disappointed she'd be to see it all recovered. We did find a display of the items found in Ekron including pottery, a potter's wheel, a weaving loom, a Philistine cart, and a burial jar.
I walked in places that had only been in the Scriptures, it was exciting to be where it happened...walking history.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Sunday, June 12, 2011
The Olive Press, Day One Israel
After 10 1/2 hours on the plane, I arrived in Tel Aviv Israel. I changed some dollars to shekels and headed out to catch a sherut, a taxi-shuttle to Yad Hashmonah. I tried to take in the scenery as we drove. I noticed lots of rocks and hills, and towns and cities on the tops of those hills. Tall cedars towered above all the other vegetation. But mainly, there were lots of rocky hills.
I checked into Yad Hashmonah at 9 am and took an hour nap. I decided to take a walk in the Biblical Garden. Bemoaning my loneliness...okay, I just got there and hadn't met anyone as yet, but I was asking myself, "Why was I here?" Then I came across a beautiful red poppy, blooming all alone, surrounded by rocks. God's assurance, I was where I needed to be.
They had some interesting things, a spring flowing into a well, a grape stomping and wine storage area, a watchtower, and an olive press. I stopped by the olive press since a man was giving a tour and listened in.
He explained the workings of the press. The farmer placed fresh olives into a large vat called a sea and then pushed a rolling millstone over the olives, going round and round crushing the olives with its weight. The olive oil flowed out a hole in the side into a storage vat. Then he used a ladle to draw the oil out and put it into storage jars. The oil from this first crushing was the best oil, the oil of the finest quality. The guide asked a question, "What happened to this first oil?" Guesses included selling it, keeping it...the answer, said with some disdain, "It went to the temple. The first and best oil went to the temple." He didn't consider that it was to be given to God, it went to the temple. And it is written in the law that the first went to God, an act of faith that God would supply all that was needed.
After the first crushing, all the olives were placed into woven bags about 18 inches in diameter. They were piled up and placed under a heavy stone, a weight called a gethsemane. The weight settled down over the bags and squeezed more oil out of the olives. Not as high grade of oil, but still quite good for selling and use. Then the process was repeated, the olives placed in the sea and crushed again, then replaced under the gethsemane and squeezed. Each repetition produced oil, not as high quality as the first, but usable.
I thought of the significance of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane on his final night. He was in the garden of the olive press, very symbolic as we consider the weight that fell on him there, so intense that he sweated drops of blood. I don't think we realize the immensity of the pressure on Jesus that day. Sure it says that for the joy before him, he endured the cross, but the night before it all happened, he was looking for a way out. "If it is possible, remove this cup from me."
He was facing something he had never faced before, death...but even more, he was facing total separation from God as he took on the sins of the world. He had never been separated from God, God was always there, his Father was always with him. And we see the desperation in his cry on the cross, "My God. My God, why have you forsaken me?"
Jesus knew the reality and recognition of God's presence all his life, except for that time on the cross when he experienced hell...absolute separation from God. He suffered the agony of separation so that we could be reconciled to God and never have to experience total separation from God. We may feel isolated and alone, but because of Jesus' sacrifice, it is just a feeling, not a reality.
I checked into Yad Hashmonah at 9 am and took an hour nap. I decided to take a walk in the Biblical Garden. Bemoaning my loneliness...okay, I just got there and hadn't met anyone as yet, but I was asking myself, "Why was I here?" Then I came across a beautiful red poppy, blooming all alone, surrounded by rocks. God's assurance, I was where I needed to be.
They had some interesting things, a spring flowing into a well, a grape stomping and wine storage area, a watchtower, and an olive press. I stopped by the olive press since a man was giving a tour and listened in.
He explained the workings of the press. The farmer placed fresh olives into a large vat called a sea and then pushed a rolling millstone over the olives, going round and round crushing the olives with its weight. The olive oil flowed out a hole in the side into a storage vat. Then he used a ladle to draw the oil out and put it into storage jars. The oil from this first crushing was the best oil, the oil of the finest quality. The guide asked a question, "What happened to this first oil?" Guesses included selling it, keeping it...the answer, said with some disdain, "It went to the temple. The first and best oil went to the temple." He didn't consider that it was to be given to God, it went to the temple. And it is written in the law that the first went to God, an act of faith that God would supply all that was needed.
After the first crushing, all the olives were placed into woven bags about 18 inches in diameter. They were piled up and placed under a heavy stone, a weight called a gethsemane. The weight settled down over the bags and squeezed more oil out of the olives. Not as high grade of oil, but still quite good for selling and use. Then the process was repeated, the olives placed in the sea and crushed again, then replaced under the gethsemane and squeezed. Each repetition produced oil, not as high quality as the first, but usable.
I thought of the significance of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane on his final night. He was in the garden of the olive press, very symbolic as we consider the weight that fell on him there, so intense that he sweated drops of blood. I don't think we realize the immensity of the pressure on Jesus that day. Sure it says that for the joy before him, he endured the cross, but the night before it all happened, he was looking for a way out. "If it is possible, remove this cup from me."
He was facing something he had never faced before, death...but even more, he was facing total separation from God as he took on the sins of the world. He had never been separated from God, God was always there, his Father was always with him. And we see the desperation in his cry on the cross, "My God. My God, why have you forsaken me?"
Jesus knew the reality and recognition of God's presence all his life, except for that time on the cross when he experienced hell...absolute separation from God. He suffered the agony of separation so that we could be reconciled to God and never have to experience total separation from God. We may feel isolated and alone, but because of Jesus' sacrifice, it is just a feeling, not a reality.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Traveling to Israel
Norm and I left early in the morning to get me to Newark Airport where I planned to catch a flight on El Al to Tel Aviv, Israel. A blue tape cut off any access to the counter and I was met by a security agent. To get to the counter I had to answer questions. Did you pack your bags? Did anyone give you a package to bring? Has your luggage been out of your sight? Where are you going? Why are you going? Why isn't your husband going with you? I answered honestly, and finally made it to the ticket counter where all the agents were speaking Spanish. Unexpected...
I made it through the second security gate with 3 hours to spare and wait. The plane sat at the gate being loaded with luggage and supplies. I watched, then walked around, ate some lunch and waited some more. A lot of Hasidic Jews prepared to board the plane. I guess I always thought they were like the Amish and didn't use modern conveniences, but a lot of them had cell phones and computers.
After we took off, many of the men got up. They stood all up and down the aisles and put on black robes, top hats over their yarmulke, wrapped a cord around their waist, and began to bow up and down, a few bowed right and left. One led in a chant. I noticed a few men were standing, but not praying.
They finished their prayers, took off all the extra clothes, spent some time talking and then sat down. A few hours later, they got up again. They put on the coat, hat and rope and bowed in prayer again. Not so many joined the prayer.
Later, just before the plane landed, they got up again. This time they put phylacteries on their foreheads and arms and placed a prayer shawl over their head. Each action deliberately and carefully done. The steward tried to get them to sit down in preparation for landing, but most refused. Finally the pilot told them to pray from their seats.
I thought about the visibility and frequency of their prayers. They prayed faithfully, several times a day, very steeped in tradition, the clothes, the phylacteries...very much outward actions,in the open for all to see, but I couldn't tell what was going on inside. Were they sincere? or was it because it was expected of them? Probably a mix, just like in our churches.
It made me consider my own prayer life. I don't consider myself a prayer warrior, but I do consider prayer an essential part of walking with Christ. I don't have a set time each day when I drop everything and pray, but I know of its benefits.
The real question: How much do I value prayer? Jesus rose early to pray. He spent time with His Father, it was a priority of His life.
"Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks for this is the will of God concerning you." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
I made it through the second security gate with 3 hours to spare and wait. The plane sat at the gate being loaded with luggage and supplies. I watched, then walked around, ate some lunch and waited some more. A lot of Hasidic Jews prepared to board the plane. I guess I always thought they were like the Amish and didn't use modern conveniences, but a lot of them had cell phones and computers.
After we took off, many of the men got up. They stood all up and down the aisles and put on black robes, top hats over their yarmulke, wrapped a cord around their waist, and began to bow up and down, a few bowed right and left. One led in a chant. I noticed a few men were standing, but not praying.
They finished their prayers, took off all the extra clothes, spent some time talking and then sat down. A few hours later, they got up again. They put on the coat, hat and rope and bowed in prayer again. Not so many joined the prayer.
Later, just before the plane landed, they got up again. This time they put phylacteries on their foreheads and arms and placed a prayer shawl over their head. Each action deliberately and carefully done. The steward tried to get them to sit down in preparation for landing, but most refused. Finally the pilot told them to pray from their seats.
I thought about the visibility and frequency of their prayers. They prayed faithfully, several times a day, very steeped in tradition, the clothes, the phylacteries...very much outward actions,in the open for all to see, but I couldn't tell what was going on inside. Were they sincere? or was it because it was expected of them? Probably a mix, just like in our churches.
It made me consider my own prayer life. I don't consider myself a prayer warrior, but I do consider prayer an essential part of walking with Christ. I don't have a set time each day when I drop everything and pray, but I know of its benefits.
The real question: How much do I value prayer? Jesus rose early to pray. He spent time with His Father, it was a priority of His life.
"Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks for this is the will of God concerning you." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
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