“In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death….Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the Lord,…”(Is. 38 KJV)
I have seen and heard and done much. Mostly, I hope I have learned. This is a land which has a story to tell….of ancient civilizations and their struggles of survival and for peace and of new young people hoping to share in the peace and prosperity promised for them to their ancestors. This is a land with walls….ancient walls that even today carry the hopes and prayers of millions of people from all over the world in all its cracks and crevices and new walls still being built to protect, divide, assimilate or exclude large portions of its population. This is a land which is consumed with fear and distrust yet is the site where walked the most loving and trusting man to ever walk this earth. This is land that has been grappling with division since Abraham and Lot first agreed to divide the land into Canaan and Jordan. Today, division is still the dominant issue facing the Israelis and the Palestinians, Israel and the West Bank, East Jerusalem and West Jerusalem, Jewish settlements and Palestinian refugee camps, civil authority and military authority, yet Paul, addressing the Corinthians but preaching a universal truth, said, “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.”(I Cor. 1 KJV)
This morning we visited the École biblique et archéologique française, a Dominican institute dedicated to scholarly and critical research into the Bible. It is where the Jerusalem Bible (the French language Bible) was written. It was interesting to hear about the level of scholarly inquiry, through ancient documents, such as the Dead Sea scrolls, and through archeological excavation, that continues to be improving our understanding of the sacred writings.
The day concluded with a peak at more museums, mostly in the Jewish quarter.
There is no doubt…this has been a wonderful experience. There is no doubt that it was worth the cost in time, money and energy. But it is time to bring it to a close. When one walks through the old city of Jerusalem and is approached by a stranger asking for directions….and you know the answer….you have been here too long.
Today is the last day. We conclude with a farewell dinner and then off to the airport.
I hope you have enjoyed sharing this experience with me as much as I have enjoyed sharing it with you.
