The Temple and the Word

Finding Yeshua in the temple and the torah...

We have spent the last couple of days visiting the Shrine of the Book, museums, the second temple replica and the Temple Institute.  We also visited the Mount of Olives but of course this area is fairly suburbanised now and the catholic church has claimed much of the land.  However, the ancient olive trees are worth seeing.  There were some lovely little  surprises along the way but the memory I will take away from this time is the kindness and redemptive power of YHVH through Yeshua.  Seeing how the scriptures had been preserved at the Dead Sea and the Aleppo Codex brought to Israel was such a reminder that our Father ensures that His Word is a light for all the nations.  Being here in Jerusalem heightens the appreciation for His people who have made many sacrifices to ensure the Word is preserved.  

We spent the day today in the Jewish Quarter and what a difference to the Muslim, Armenian and Christian quarters.  The atmosphere, the people and experiences were so different and it was a breath of fresh air.  As we were having a cold drink and resting weary legs we were blessed to see the celebration of a young boy's bar mitzah.  The boy was being led through the streets under a prayer shawl canopy to the accompaniment of loud music and dancing.

  The proud father drew others into the rejoicing and finished with him asking young male soldiers to gather around, lay their hands on his head and shout blessings over him.  What a privilege to hear them shout blessings of Adoni on him and I was moved to tears to hear the name of Adoni declared over him.  You could tangibly feel the blessing of YHVH and I could only imagine what our children's lives would be like if they all experienced such a joyous celebration and the blessings of their family and Adoni on them as they enter such important years of their lives.

Another occasion of great joy, particularly for Carol and Glenys, was the approach of a green and gold chariot, resplendent in all its shiny glory.  The heavens parted, the shofar sounded and the angels sang....

If there is one memory that will be taken away about the Old City of Jerusalem is the amount of steps and walking that's needed to get from point A to B.  So this little choo-choo ferries you from the Jaffa Gate down to the Western Wall for the cost of 20 shekels.  Hallelujahs were sung with great enthusiasm!  I was told that it was not a tacky addition to an important and historical location, but the green and gold was indeed a sign from above that it was a blessing for the weary Aussies.  I'll let you decide...

We visited the Temple Institute and viewed the priestly garments and articles of furniture that have been made in preparation for the third temple.  Whether there will be a physical temple or not I'm not sure about but you cannot fault the dedication of this group who are faithfully preparing for the day when Ezekial's temple can be made a reality on Mount Moriah.  

Tomorrow we will be visiting Vad Yashem and I'm sure this will be a sobering time but one that I think is necessary to appreciate all that Israel is.