Note: My apologies that this report on our trip to Israel was so long! You should have seen all the stuff I left out that I was going to talk about!! Anyway, this may give many a perspective on our trip. I call it "perspective soup" since there are so many types of impressions mixed in. Hope you find it informative. Blessings to all on THE ELIJAH LIST!! --Steve Shultz

Zech 2:8 " . . . for whoever touches you (Israel) touches the apple of his eye."

It's been three weeks since THE ELIJAH LIST group returned from THE HOLY LAND. Twenty-nine of us went to Israel.

I've been struggling for these few weeks as to how I could possibly encapsulate the trip and give readers a perspective. After all, shelves of books have and are being written about Israel and Jerusalem. What is one more report?

Israel, and more specifically Jerusalem is no less than the focal point of the entire earth, after all. While we were in Jerusalem, Barak was in Washington, D.C. As the peace talks broke down in Washington, it was our last hours in Israel as a group. Our returning flight, and Barak's flight back home, no doubt crossed in the air.

How important is this tiny piece of land called Jerusalem? Put one way---Were an attempt made today-- by Jewish citizens, to tear down the Moslems' Mosque, the "Dome of the Rock," which sits on top of the Temple Mount, (where Solomon's and Herod's Temple once stood), it would be tantamount to the beginning of World War III --Literally. World Alliances on both sides would quickly join the battle and there would ensue global chaos and destruction. With issues that important and complex, what can I, a first-time visitor say after only one visit?

WHAT PERSPECTIVE DO I WRITE FROM?

I'm torn!

There's the Biblical perspective of walking where Jesus walked and taught. Then there's the actual archeological sites we visited, or the Spiritual encounters we had in our private devotions and thoughts. There's the College-course worth of teaching by our Jewish-Believing Guide, Avner Boskey who holds a degree in "The Second Temple Period" in Israel's history. And of course, there's the Geo-political aspects of current events with impending conflicts.

So I've decided to skip around and give you a little bit of "perspective soup." Because, -- the way I write, is roughly the way I processed the information and sites as they came to me. Some were spiritual, others analytical, but the Love of Yeshua for all peoples, Jewish and Gentile alike. . . Jewish and Arab alike, captured me the most. I could not help but be taken in by all of these people. None of those crowding into the Old City of Jerusalem, be they Jewish or Arab, are unloved by God. But the Jewish people seem to have a Scriptural prophetic calling and ministry to the world. Scripture is clear:

Rom 11:15 15 For if their [The Jewish people] rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?

WILD BY NATURE

Let's get the whole picture, from a Gentile perspective. Many have been taught to say, "The Jews rejected Christ, so then God took the Gospel to the Gentiles. Partially true, but only part of the story. The end is better than the beginning. We just read about "LIFE FROM THE DEAD" when the Jews come to Messiah. But read ahead just a few more verses:

Rom 11:24-27 "After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree! I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins."

WHAT THEY SAY IN BETHLEHEM

Regarding the above Scripture--it turns out that in Bethlehem, one of the things they are famous for, is olive wood carvings. People all over the world own Christian carvings from Bethlehem. The owner from a carving's store explained to our group that though the olive tree lasts hundreds of years, it is easier to start a NEW tree from an old stump or root. It takes too long to start a new olive tree, so they graft new shoots into an OLD olive tree. Do you see the picture?

Israel was the original olive tree. We, the Gentiles, were the wild shoots, but it was easier, faster, more expedient to graft us into THEIR cultivated olive tree. Paul says, if you, being wild Gentiles could be grafted into a cultivated ISRAELI root (for "Salvation is from the Jews" --Jesus said in John 4:22) ---- How much more READILY can Israel be grafted BACK into their own OLIVE TREE. Therefore, as Paul says to us Gentiles, "DON'T' BE ARROGANT."

What the Jewish people lost in History (His Story), they will regain--their true Messiah. And when they do, it will be LIFE FROM THE DEAD for all the world. Yes, we the Gentiles are to provoke the Jews to jealousy by our lives in Christ (something that hasn't happened much--yet), but then, in return, the Jewish people's acceptance of Messiah, will result in TRUE LIFE to all who are in Christ.

THE SHOT IN THE ARM I NEEDED

Have you ever needed a new and fresh perspective on the Word of God? Visit Israel and you will have it. For me, and for members of my own family, the report is the same . . . "Now when I read the Bible, it makes more sense, and I can picture the very places things happened."

I can truthfully say that the Written Word has come alive because of this visit--like it has not "lived" for many years. Beyond that, while we stayed in Israel, my prophetic dream life took off again. One gets the feeling---no, --- one gets the KNOWING that there is something beyond special about this LAND. Even while wars and rumors of wars abound, the Spiritual aspect of this land was evident. This is where HE, the Savior of the world not only walked-- It is the one place God CHOSE for Him to walk--and where HE chose to walk. . . among the common people of the day. Also, among a lot of dirt and rocks. How easy-to-visualize it must have been when Jesus told Peter, "On this ROCK I will build my Church." Peter later told the Sanhedrin that Jesus was the "Stone" that the Builders had rejected--but Yeshua had become the "Chief Cornerstone!" Jesus used the landscape of rocks and buildings to paint this picture:

BECOMING LIVING STONES TOGETHER

1 Pet 2:4-8 "As you come to him, the living Stone-- rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him-- you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame." Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, "The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone," and, "A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall." They stumble because they disobey the message-- which is also what they were destined for."

A STUDY IN CONTRASTS

I was dumbfounded throughout the trip by what I called "a study in contrasts."

Things which appeared bigger in my mind were often found to be much smaller-- and vice versa For instance, what seemed like it might have been a short day's walk turned out to be a two-hour air-conditioned bus ride in unbelievable heat--From Galilee to Jerusalem (with a few stops along the way).

Now, when I look at charts of what Biblical events occurred during certain seasons of the year in Jesus Ministry, I understand why not much happened (that was recorded) during the summer months. Could it be that Yeshua (the Hebrew name for Jesus) and His disciples were just like any other human beings--that is, the heat was unbearable for them too, so they weren't out in the heat as much? Just a theory.

MCDONALDS AND TOYS "R" US

I saw the Old City co-existing close to a modern and new freeway. Yes, freeway. And in many locations, McDonald's-- Not in the Old City, thankfully. But then there were Toys 'R' Us, and Remax Real Estate signs. (I did see one ATM machine in the Old City. That kind of makes one realize things are a bit different than they were in 30 A.D. I couldn't completely make myself stay away from things modern. While the food in Israel seems healthy and is very good, I was delighted to visit McDonald's ONE TIME, and eat a "great" Chicken Sandwich (with fries) while sitting in an air-conditioned environment!

I saw high-rise modern hotels, within a minute or two of the Arab quarter in the Old City-- where women's heads are always covered and where we saw a few mothers with children on their lap-- being professional beggars. I also saw some children in the Arab quarter who my heart broke for, as they begged for money---and then I saw them run and proudly present their plastic bags full of coins to what looked like their grandfather-- who laughed with glee at their catch. Then off they went to beg for more.

NOT EVERYTHING IS WHAT IT SEEMS

You begin to get the idea that not everything in Israel is what it seems.

What are reported by the American media as new Israeli settlements (which purportedly prevent the peace process from going forward), we can now see with our own eyes. We see a highly advertised impediment to peace, a certain "provocative" settlement is built out in the middle of no-man's land. Nothing is even close to it. It's as if houses are set up in the middle of nowhere, and yet the western media play on the sympathy of Americans who find themselves asking, "Why do the Israeli's keep building right in the middle of Arab communities? Don't they know this will inflame the opposition?" we say. Now we see the reality and how we have been duped by biased reporting.

THE GOLAN HEIGHTS

In Israel, the West Bank is everything west of the Jordan and the Golan Heights is practically everything East of the Jordan. All the land-rich Arab countries want, they say, is the Golan Heights and the West bank--in Other words--ALL OF ISRAEL. But we've swallowed this propaganda in the U.S.

80% of the water for Israel comes from the Sea of Galilee, fed by the Jordan River, and among others, the waters from Mount Hermon, the tallest mountain in Israel. To give the Golan Heights to Syria, all we are asking Israel to do, is give up the East Shore of the Sea of Galilee and all of the Jordan River that feeds into it. Not a problem, all that would do is give Syria 100% control of 80% of the water needs of Israel. Then, with new ownership of the highest mountain in Israel, Mt. Hermon, Syria could launch any attack on Israel with little notice. Of course, the media doesn't tell you this.

ISRAEL - TIRED OF WAR

The sad thing to learn is that many families in Israel have lost several generations of sons in Israeli battles. They are tired of death. They want peace and at this point, they want it at any price. No longer do Temple Mount issues, Jerusalem issues, or any other land issues concern them. They can only HOPE that giving away this critical land will somehow appease their enemies and bring safety to their families. Unfortunately, giving God-ordained land to their enemies will only hasten the attack planned against them. Already large secret tunnels have been discovered where arms were being smuggled into Israel so that Israel can be attacked from within their own land. No Air Force can defend Israel against such an attack.

BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE

God, it seems, has painted Israel between a rock, THE ROCK and a hard place.

As we walked through the streets, we heard constantly, the everyday greeting, "Shalom" (peace) to which another replies "shalom." Except on Saturday, where the greeting is changed by all to "Shabbat Shalom" (Sabbath Peace.)

I found myself listening to this cry for PEACE with each greeting by Jewish people. The phone is answered, "shalom," instead of "hello!" I can't help but remember the Scripture that says,

Jer 8:11 "They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. 'Peace, peace,' they say, when there is no peace."

And God Warns:

1Thes 5:3 While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

Are we seeing the beginning of true peace for Israel--or only the foreboding longing for peace that will NEVER come until the nation turns to their true Messiah . .

HOLY SITES AND THE DEFENSE OF ISRAEL

There was an irony when we visited some of the quiet Holy or "almost Holy" places.

Probably more than half of our group was re-baptized, as a sign of rededication of our lives to the Lord in the Jordan River, the same river where Yeshua received baptism, though He was sinless. It was a wonderful time.

However, as the baptism was held, at several points, we had to stop and wait for the screaming Israeli Jets to fly over. While staying at our hotel on the Sea of Galilee, the same sea where Jesus walked on water, I got up at 5:30 to see what it might have been like to experience the early morning calm of the Galilee for Jesus. It was pretty nice and overall, very quiet. But in the distance, even at 5:30 in the morning, I kept hearing explosions, up towards the Golan Heights. Upon inquiring, I was informed that those were most likely sonic booms from Israeli Jets.

Then, at the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem, our group was preparing to have a walk-through of the tomb and to hear the host (of this tomb site) explain the area, when suddenly a gigantic explosion that seemed no further than 50-75 yards away. I was sure that a bomb had been set off. The group jumped. The guide said, "Not to worry, just probably a sonic boom from the jets flying over."

TINY ISRAEL

In the U.S. we have the luxury of outlawing sonic booms in populated cities. In Israel, there is no such luxury. The entire length of Israel, top to bottom is not greater than 250 miles long. At the very widest spot in Israel, from west to east, Israel is no more than 100 miles wide.

Now picture being the jet fighters in Israel that must defend their country. As they practice, they can fly only about 10 minutes before they run out of country and must turn around. Flying the entire length of the country? Maybe twenty minutes, and that's if you stay just under the speed of sound. The sonic booms indicate the jets are breaking the speed of sound, so the time before turn-around is much less than that.

NEVER AGAIN, THE CRY IS HEARD

The Jewish people, after the Holocaust say, "Never again! Never again!" But when one sees the limitations of defending this tiny country, one cannot help but imagine the immensity of this task-- with enemies on all sides who would crush Israel in a second if they had half a chance.

Throughout Israel, teenagers, both male and female are seen wearing the Israeli green military uniforms and carrying rifles. They walk the city and country streets and are seen hitchhiking for rides to and from their military bases. A very large percentage get to "work" this way. Imagine, if you will, your own teenager, carrying an M16 high-powered rifle, hitching a ride to work, with all his/her friends. Imagine average citizens, most who have already served in the Military themselves, picking up these rifle-carrying teenagers. In Israel, both men and women (more like boys and girls) are obligated to spend three years in the Israeli Military.

With all of this, you can see why so many are so tired of war in Israel.

The cries, "Never Again" and the readiness of Israel to courageously defend their Land, can make you proud of this people. But the realization is also self-evident, even according to Scripture that:

NOT BY MIGHT OR POWER

Zech 4:6 It is: "Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty."

Think of all the great military powers that have come and gone in World history. And where did they go? The Psalmist wrote:

Ps 146:3 "Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save."

The Gentile Church ought not take too much pride, or brag too arrogantly on behalf of the Israeli army. Instead we ought to pray that when they are shown that their military is woefully INADEQUATE, they will look to Yeshua for their deliverance. Sometimes, it seems that even the church is proud of the strong military might in Israel--- like even we think our prayers are not so much needed for Israel's defense. How wrong this thinking is. For the time is coming when PRAYER is all the Church or Israel will have on their side-- Prayer and the humbling of ourselves before the powerful Anointed One.

IN LOVE WITH ISRAEL

God loves Israel. He is IN LOVE with Israel. But as only the Creator Himself can do, He is able to both keep His covenant of blessing with Israel and also refine them --at the same time (just as He does with the Church).

Roughly 80% of all Israelis are "secular" in all that they do. A visitor to the LAND finds him/herself asking, "Wouldn't it be good to have the Jewish people all become religious-- even if that means becoming Orthodox--- so that there is SOME context for them to find their Messiah? As it is, most secular Jews today say, "How could anyone believe in a God who would let six million Jews be murdered in the Holocaust? The Holocaust tells us that there is no God," they say, in one way or another. Of course this is a complex question. This is why if a Jewish person is to find the Love of their Messiah, they will likely need to see it in another Believer first.

IS THERE A GOD? AND CAN HE BE KNOWN?

One learns that to the Jewish mind, the first question is--"Is there a God at all?" And if there is, the next question is equally important: "Can He be known?" If these questions are not answered through the life of a Believer, then "witnessing" can be unfruitful at best.

We are told by Avner Boskey, our guide, that even though most of the Orthodox Jews do not seek God from a pure heart (in so many words), nevertheless, God responds to the desperate cry of the human heart, as he responded to the Children of Israel-- crying from Egypt to be delivered. So, we see the Western Wall, crowded daily with Orthodox Jews, crying for deliverance of Israel and the Temple Mount, while the whole time they reject even the notion that Yeshua (Jesus) was or could have been the Messiah.

Nevertheless, perhaps the LORD does look on the desperation He sees at the Western wall in Jerusalem and say . . .

Isa 57:18-21 I have seen his [MAN'S] ways, but I will heal him; I will guide him and restore comfort to him, creating praise on the lips of the mourners in Israel. Peace, peace, to those far and near," says the LORD. "And I will heal them." But the wicked are like the tossing sea, which cannot rest, whose waves cast up mire and mud. "There is no peace," says my God, "for the wicked."

What a contrast in values! God sees man's foolish and disobedient ways, and yet he says, despite that--- "I WILL GUIDE HIM AND RESTORE COMFORT TO HIM, CREATING PRAISE ON THE LIPS OF THE MOURNERS IN ISRAEL."

If that isn't grace, it'll do until grace comes along!!

THE CITY OF DAVID

In our tours of Jerusalem, other discoveries were made. For instance, I didn't know there were actually two "City of David's" -- The one-- Bethlehem, approximately five miles from the temple mount in Jerusalem is what we think of most. We are more familiar with this Scripture:

Luke 2:4 "And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to THE CITY OF DAVID, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David."

THE "OTHER" CITY OF DAVID

But the place where David lived, his own city-- was just below (and up against) the Temple Mount itself, and was also called, "THE CITY OF DAVID." Bethlehem was called Bethlehem, but the City of David was called, "THE CITY OF DAVID."

On a map of Jerusalem, it might look like a city-- but when you walk on a place where part of the city stood, you realize that as cities go, it's not the world's idea of a city. No more than 200 feet wide and a few thousand feet long, it runs into the temple mount at the top and drops off toward the Kidron Valley and the Valley of Hinnon below.

From this place, atop his Palace on the City of David, David looked down across the valley (which you now realize is more like a large ravine), and he could see the flat-roofed houses where Bathsheba was bathing. As you stand on this place today, close to where David would have stood, there are again flat-roofed houses across this ravine (valley), similar to what would have stood there in days of old, and now one can almost picture the scene.

TEMPTATION, SIN, AND GOD'S GRACE

You can nearly hit the flat-roofed houses with a rock. This is where David ran headlong into sin-- as he first lusted, and then sent for the object of his desire, Bathsheba. It boggles the mind to learn that Uriah the Hittite was a Gentile, fighting for David's Israeli army. Surely David must have begun to rationalize, "Even though Uriah is a good soldier, the bottom line is that he's an "uncircumcised" Gentile. "And I am King of all Israel." The people serve "at the pleasure of the King so what is theirs, is mine." Whatever was in his head, David went forward with his adultery and later, murder--to complete the cover-up.

Nathan, God's prophet for the hour put a stop to that charade in a hurry.

After David's murder of Uriah, and David's repentance, Bathsheba became David's wife. And after experiencing but a small part of God's judgment for this sin, the loss of the child conceived in this sin,--- Bathsheba then gave birth to Solomon. This wise king Solomon who would eventually take over David's palace after David's death,-- looked down at the same spot where his father gave in to the lust of the eyes. Perhaps he then turned around and looked just up the hill at the temple mount behind him. Surely he knew that because of his father's blatant sin, he had life was now the King of Israel. Strange feeling.

There, above him, his father David had planned to build the most magnificent house for the Lord God that would ever be built--at least up to that time. But God chose Solomon to do the building instead--because of the blood on David's hands. David could only spend the last of his life collecting the building materials for Solomon to use. While Solomon was the result of a sinful union, he was not punished for it. He became the wisest king who ever lived.

THE MAN ON THE THRONE CAME THROUGH SIN

And from the line of this man Solomon, through David and Bathsheba, (the now-forgiven adulteress)-- would come the Savior of the World, Yeshua. And Yeshua, as prophesied will someday sit on "THE THRONE OF DAVID." In one sense He does now. But He will yet also sit on David's throne, so it seems. As the angel told Mary,

Luke 1:31-32 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the THRONE OF HIS FATHER DAVID."

As I stood close the same spot where this had all happened-- the place of the palaces of the City of David--even now, I cannot help but proclaim:

"Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor?" Rom 11:33-34

ARRIVING ABOVE THE CITY OF JERUSALEM

One of the more dramatic moments for me was our arrival in Jerusalem. Coming over the hills on the road leading from Jericho into Jerusalem--all on the bus were told to "close your eyes"--and then suddenly "Ok, now open them!" -- as the City of Jerusalem came into spectacular panoramic view from our vantage point on the Mount of Olives. At this spot, we were just down the hillside from where Jesus Ascended into Heaven. What a magnificent view he must have had of Jerusalem whenever he went up on the Mount of Olives. It's almost breathtaking.

In one second, shrieks are heard because of the beauty of what we are just now seeing. The City, Jerusalem and the Temple Mount, the very SPOT on earth where God chose to manifest specifically His Presence for so many years---the very spot where Jesus will rule and reign again, as the Scripture says,

Isa 9:6-7 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign ON DAVID'S THRONE and over His kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.

THE NATION OF ISRAEL RE-CREATED

I say that this City and this nation, Israel was re-created because it was here before--several times-- but Jerusalem was finally completely destroyed in AD 70. Left more-or-less desolate for many centuries, the Lord began to highlight the city again to the World around the times of World War I and World War II.

However, as in the movie, "Fiddler on the Roof," so accurately portrayed---with the Jewish people, it has ALWAYS been, "NEXT YEAR IN JERUSALEM." The cry of Jewish people was always to go home. They would worship facing Jerusalem no matter which country in the world they lived. In 1948, in part because of the awful Holocaust, Israel became a State--a nation again-- through the miraculous intervention of the Lord.

REWRITING TEACHING ABOUT ISRAEL

From 1948 on, Christian Theologians, who had always taught that Israel was only "Spiritual Israel," and that Jerusalem itself would "never be rebuilt" ---well, let's just say there was a flurry of papers shuffling as many Church Historians had to re-construct centuries of bad Theology--once again coming to grips with the fact that Jesus was a Jewish Messiah, with Jewish Disciples, in Israel. Many of those theologians became like Noble Bereans who began to 'SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES TO SEE IF THESE THINGS WERE SO." Many today now understand much more about Israel, seeing it again as God's "BEAUTIFUL LAND." (Daniel 11: 16,41) Since that day in May, 1948, Israel began to be seen not only as a literal nation again, and Israel not only seen again as God's "Chosen People," but now, Israel and the events in the news became as signs for the Church of what God is doing in the Heavenlies.

The Scriptures promising the return of the Jewish people to their own land? We are quite literally seeing them fulfilled before our eyes. The Passover, celebrating when God took the Children out of Egypt, will begin to seem small in comparison to how the Lord is soon to save and regather His Jewish People from all points on the Globe. Here's what Jeremiah says about that day. Note by the description that this has NOT FULLY HAPPENED YET--but it is STARTING to happen:

Jer 16:14-15 14 "However, the days are coming," declares the LORD, "when men will NO LONGER SAY, 'As surely as the LORD lives, who brought the Israelites up out of Egypt,' but they will say, 'As surely as the LORD lives, WHO BROUGHT THE ISRAELITES UP OUT OF THE LAND OF THE NORTH and out of ALL THE COUNTRIES WHERE HE HAD BANISHED THEM.' For I will restore them to the land I gave their forefathers.

Even yet, many hundreds of thousands of Jews will soon be released from the Land of the North, the former Soviet Union, but we are also told that from all the other countries,(which would certainly include the United States of America) the Jewish people will return to their own land--and consider it a gift from God when they do. We, as Believers need to be ready to support them, help them, even finance them in their endeavors to get to the LAND.

ALWAYS A NATION IN GOD'S EYES

You see, In God's eyes, they have never NOT been the NATION OF ISRAEL:

Jer 31:35-40 This is what the LORD says, he who appoints the sun to shine by day, who decrees the moon and stars to shine by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar-- the LORD Almighty is his name: "ONLY IF THESE DECREES VANISH FROM MY SIGHT," declares the LORD, "will the descendants of Israel ever cease to be A NATION BEFORE ME." This is what the LORD says: "Only if the heavens above can be measured and the foundations of the earth below be searched out will I reject all the descendants of Israel because of all they have done," declares the LORD. "The days are coming," declares the LORD, "when this city will be rebuilt for me from the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate. The measuring line will stretch from there straight to the hill of Gareb and then turn to Goah. The whole valley where dead bodies and ashes are thrown, and all the terraces out to the Kidron Valley on the east as far as the corner of the Horse Gate, will be holy to the LORD. The city will never again be uprooted or demolished."

JERUSALEM WILL BE RE-SIZED

God loves Jerusalem. And its future is more glorious than anyone can imagine. Viewing this city from the Mount of Olives, you can see how layer upon layer of the OLD Jerusalem that was destroyed was also rebuilt many times. It gave me a less-than-fulfilled sense of well-being to see that Jerusalem was rebuilt on the ruins of previous destruction--- surrounded by centuries of rubble, pushed into the valleys next to the City. How can the city be truly glorious, surrounded by the trash of previous generations?

God speaks of the NEW JERUSALEM, coming down out of heaven. This will be the truly Glorious New Jerusalem, --a bit larger I might add. Only the Lord knows when (and specifically how) all of these things will be. But here's what the Word says:

Rev 21:10-16 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and FOUND IT TO BE 12,000 STADIA IN LENGTH, AND AS WIDE AND HIGH AS IT IS LONG.

HOW BIG IS 12,000 STADIA?

These Bible-times measurements are hard to grasp. One thing we learn is that the City will be a cube, the exact shape of the Holy of Holies in the Temple--the same width, length, and height. God is making a point by decreeing that the City of Jerusalem will be the exact same SHAPE as the MOST HOLY PLACE---He is saying that the NEW JERUSALEM will be completely and eternally IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD.

SO HOW BIG IS THIS CITY? HOW BIG IS 12,000 STADIA IN LENGTH, BREADTH, AND HEIGHT?

Let's state it in Miles:

1,400 miles wide!

1,400 miles long!

1,400 miles tall! (way out in space, in other words)

Now there's some space in which jets can maneuver--though I don't suspect we'll be having jet fly-overs in this NEW Jerusalem. For God's people will be complete--The full number of the Gentiles and Jews from every kindred, tongue, tribe, and people will have come in. Israel will have said, "Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord."

When Jesus speaks of this time when He makes the NEW JERUSALEM glorious, He offers THE CHURCH this invitation to all who are interested in this kind of future for Jerusalem,

Rev 22:16-17 "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony FOR THE CHURCHES. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star." The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life."