I have been blessed to lead many pilgrimages to the Holy Land. This most recent trip was extra special because my oldest daughter, Haven, was able to accompany me.
Haven is 17 years old and is a senior in high school. She feels called into the ministry and will be leaving for Bible College this coming fall. Having this experience so early in life will greatly enhance her future training in the ministry, as the Bible has now come to life in her eyes!
On the first day of our trip, we toured sites around the Sea of Galilee, where Jesus ministered often. Some of those Biblical villages and towns are now just rocks and piles of rubble.
Places like Capernaum, where Jesus did many miracles and crowds filled the streets as his fame spread (Mark 1:28) are now only remains where one’s imagination must kick in to know what it must have been like 2,000 years ago.
As we walked through that desolate town, the Holy Spirit reminded me of Jesus’ words in Luke 10 when Jesus cursed the towns of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum.
Of Capernaum, He said in Luke 10:15, “And you Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths.” These were cities where Jesus performed mighty works, yet, they rejected Him as the Christ.
After our first full day of touring, I asked Haven what she thought. I was expecting her to be like, “WOW! This is amazing, Dad!” Instead, her response was quite somber.
She said, “Dad, I expected to see more than just piles of rocks.” Her words continued to ring in my spiritual ears. Piles of rocks. Rubble. Desolation. This is how our lives will end – in rubble and despair – if we fail to put our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. He is our rock. He is our fortress. Without Him, we are left for ruin.
As our 10-day journey continued, Haven was able to see things that excited her much more than piles of rocks. She was in awe of Jerusalem, she was moved by the compassion of Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane, and she was filled to overflowing when baptized in the Jordan River. But as our tour continued, she couldn’t help but look into the empty eyes of so many people who didn’t know the Lord.
She watched them pray to a God they didn’t know. She watched them observe laws without knowledge of the One who had fulfilled the law. She observed them striving to fulfill religious duties without a relationship with the only One that can truly give life.
She said to me something I will never forget. She said, “Dad, they are like rocks. Dead. No life in them. Their hearts are hard.”
When Jesus made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem on that first Palm Sunday in the Gospel of Luke 19, many lined the side of that path on the Mount of Olives crying “Hosanna” and waving palm branches.
But Luke records in verses 39-40 that “some” of the Pharisees from among the multitudes said unto Him, Master, rebuke your Disciples. And the Scripture says that Jesus answered and said unto them, “I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.”
We are the stones that now cry out to the Lord. He has softened our stony heart and given us a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26). We rejoice in the Lord for His wonderful grace and mercy that has saved us and allowed us to be partakers of this divine nature (2 Peter 1:4).
We must pray for those who have yet to see Jesus (Yeshua) as Savior. Pray that God will also soften their stony hearts and open their eyes to truly know Him (1 Timothy 2:4). Pray that God will continue to bless Lifting up Zion to partner with Messianic Jewish ministries in Jerusalem to preach the Gospel to those who are perishing (1 Corinthians 1:18). Pray that all of Israel will be saved (Romans 11:26).
Everlasting at it,
