Israel: Day 5

The King for a Gift

Today was an amazing day beginning upon Mt Olives overlooking the Kidron Valley to Old Jerusalem. We traveled down to the celebrated spot of the Garden of Gethsemane. The Church of All Nations was there and open to the public as God was being worshipped. I was not sure how I felt about taking photos while the worship service was in progress, but the sanctuary was amazingly beautiful with ornate pillars and arches.

From Gethsemane, we traveled to an abandoned vineyard with an amazing overlook, watching the landscape change to the Shephelah. Here, we listened to the scriptures concerning God as the vineyard master and witnessed the results of a vineyard becoming abandoned. The thistles and thorn bushes overcame the ground while the vines withered away. By abiding the vine, the vineyard master cares for his vines and prunes the barren branches.

We traveled south to the Herodian, Herod the Great’s palace. From its height, we took in breathtaking views across the valleys below and explored the ruins of a once grand fortress palace. I spent some time in the synagogue praising God, imagined stepping into the ritual bath and explored the intricate cistern, water system under the palace. Herod, who killed wives, sons and infants of Bethlehem, had enormous wealth and power that enabled him to build such amazing structures as the Herodian. However, his wealth and power did not sustain him and it is believed that he was buried within the hill there at Herodian. Yet a few miles north, a little, helpless baby was born whose kingdom has withstood the test of time and will reign for all time.

As we were leaving the Herodian, we made an unscheduled stop at the bottom to allow those adventurous ones explore the bathhouse. With only ten minutes, I scrambled quickly down into the bath, ran across the floor and scampered up the center stones to take it all in. I might as well have been ten years old scaling the rocks at Mesa Verde or Garden of the Gods. My heart was racing but not from the running and climbing. I had been invited to be a son whose Father delighted in his child’s joy.

From there we traveled into occupied territory and into the not-so-little town of Bethlehem. In town, we had the opportunity to go into the Orthodox Church and view into the “traditional” birthplace of our Savior, Jesus Christ. This same city also knew young King David. An unlikely town, two Kings and one true King of Kings!

As with the birth of God’s Son, today was truly a gift from the Father. I delight in the gift that has been given me and give Him praises and thanks for He is good, very good.