The Ride Home

Whew! We made it. The posts have not been as consistent due to a sketchy internet connection. The past 2 days were spent in Bethlehem and Jerusalem. By this point everything is starting to blend together and I am dreaming of rocks, rocks, and more rocks. Oh, and olive trees too…
The shepherds field in Bethlehem was very neat because it gave an overview of the hills and valleys. It was very easy to imagine the shepherds watching the sheep on that dark still night and being freaked out of their minds when the angel shows up. But how awesome of a sight it must have been to see the hills around be filled with the light and sound of the heavenly host. Like everything else it was a surreal experience to be there and to imagine what it must have been like.

The days we have spent in Jerusalem have been incredible. Yesterday we actually got to go onto the Temple Mount. I never thought we would get that close to the Temple Mount let alone actually be on it. You have to have a good imagination to go on a trip like this and I like to think that I have one. It was very cool to think that the Dome of the Rock will be replaced by another Temple someday – maybe soon…

We also visited the Temple Institute where they are preparing the items that will be used in the next Temple. This place had a very cool yet erie feeling about it. It was cool because we got to see the future right in front of our eyes yet erie because the Anti-Christ will be using this stuff as well. Very weird and exciting all at the same time.

We are headed home today and we ended the tour at the Garden Tomb. Our guide for the tomb was an English chap and was very good at his job. The Garden Tomb was a beautiful place and from the evidence that was presented could very well be the place of the crucifixion and burial of Christ. We’ll never know for know, but I would like to believe that it was there. How many surreal and exciting experiences can I have on this trip? Chalk up one more.

What an experience. I need to go back, and all of you that have not been there need to go. It was a life and ministry changing trip. My reading and teaching of the Bible will be forever impacted.