The Hinge Point of History

This morning our Life of Christ professor, Abner Chou, asked us where we would go if we could go back in time just once. He said some people would say, "Seeing David fight Goliath would be pretty cool" or "Noah and the flood would be awesome", but really, the most glorious time, the most critical in all of human history, is the life of Jesus Christ - His life is the hinge point of redemptive history. He fulfilled all that the previous events led up to and all that God had promised.
So far, our field trips have been based in and around Jerusalem. Earlier this week we visited the base of the Temple Mount and then we saw a model of Jerusalem, including the temple on the Temple Mount. We briefly discussed the need for the temple and for the High Priest and his duty. Yesterday we were able to visit the Temple Mount. It is now run by Muslims who only allow non-muslims on the mount between 8-10 a.m. They have built an impressive building, the Dome of the Rock, right over the spot thought to be where the Holy of Holies used to be. As upsetting as it is to see a Muslim building over the very spot where God's glory use to rest, I know that there is no longer any need for a temple, a high priest, or a Holy of Holies. Christ fulfilled all these things - He is our forerunner, our High Priest forever (Heb. 6:19-20). Because of Christ's life, death, and resurrection, we can now come before God boldy, because of His grace. The Muslim's might be able to defile the site where the temple use to be, where sin was atoned for by the High Priest in the Holy of Holies, but they can do nothing about what has been accomplished "once for all", that is, Christ dying for our sins, bringing us to God, and making us alive with His Spirit (1 Peter 3:18)!

The Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount. Jews worshipping and praying outside the Western Wall of the Temple Mount.
A square in the Old City.

Here we are reading a few of the Psalms of Ascent found in Psalm 120-134.

Bill bought us some delicious strawberries and little pastries from the open air market in West Jerusalem.

Hezekiah's Tunnel

Today we had an all day field trip in Jerusalem and the City of David.

We got to walk through Hezekiah's Tunnel (2 Kings 20:20) which goes beneath the City of David. It was pitch black without our flashlights and had knee deep water (higher in some places).

Some other sites we saw: the pool of Siloam, the base of the Temple Mount, Hezekiah's wall, the "upper room", and a tomb that is possibly the Tomb of the Kings of Judah. We also saw the grave of Oskar Schindler, the German who saved 1200 Jews during WWII.

Jerusalem - The Old City

Today was our second day of classes! We learned about the topography of the Old City of Jerusalem and also it's borders during the different time periods. Then we were off to see it for ourselves! Here are a few pics from the trip:

This is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the traditional sight of Jesus crucifixion and burial. It was extremely gaudy inside, filled with icons, relics, and the like. It was sad to see so many people kissing and/or worshipping some of the items inside. In the picture below you can actually see a man about to kiss the spot where Joseph of Aramethea supposedly layed. There is a large, ornate wooden box over the spot that is traditionally thought to be Jesus' tomb (not pictured).

Inside the church of the Holy Sepulchre.

Some fellow IBEXers walking on top of the North wall of the Old City.

The Mount of Olives, viewed from on top of the Eastern Wall. Here we read Zecheriah 14.

This is part of one of the Pools of Bethesda found in John 5. It was huge! And deep! And this was only part of it - much of it has been filled in or built over.

We walked down some of the streets in the Christian and Muslim quarter. Shops line both sides and it is very crowded. We weren't able to stop and buy soveneirs today, but there will be plenty of opportunities to do that - Lord willing of course!

Brought Near By the Blood of Christ

I learned something even before landing in Israel.

After my eight hour layover in Newark, I joined up with the rest of the students and we boarded the plane headed for Tel Aviv, Israel. The huge plane was full; I think we were about the only non-Jewish people on the plane other than the flight attendants. Most of the men wore the Jewish cap, a few had on a top hat and grew their hair so that they had the curly frontals by their ears, and two or three even wore the full out traditional looking robe with the headress. When I was waiting in line for the bathroom and taking a much needed break from sitting, I saw three men standing beside the emergency exit door. All were dressed in the robes. One had what we would call a phalactery on his forehead and another had a black band wrapped all the way around his forearm. I had never seen anything like that before so I looked it up just now as we just got internet. The Jews call these things Tefillin. They take Deut 6:8 very literally, binding God's word on their arm and keeping it in front of them always. The third man was facing the exit door and rocking back and forth, I presumed in prayer. I felt such a sense of sadness as I walked back to my seat. They hold on so tightly to these man made traditions and they still pray for the messiah that they think is coming. But He has already come! I was sitting by one of my roomates and we talked about how these Jewish people were God's chosen people, and yet they don't believe in Christ. And we - we're gentiles, yet we "who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ." Col. 2:13.

After landing, one of our professors was reminding us just how blessed we are, as gentiles, to be saved by the grace of God. He told us about Peter going to Cornelius, a gentile, and this was the beginning of the gospel reaching the gentiles.

So, the experience on the flight and then what our professor said both really made me grateful for what Jesus did, not just for Jews but also for me. For in Christ, "there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free: but Christ is all and in all." Col. 3:11. Praise the Lord!

Bound for Israel

Hello everyone!

As many of you know, I have the wonderful priveledge of joining 39 other students for a nearly four month study program in Israel. Each semester, up to 40 students from the Master's College are allowed to go to IBEX (Israel Bible Extension) in Israel. The school has a small campus and dormitories where we will live and take classes. Our classes are such that we get to travel around the country and see many biblical and historical sights that relate to what we are learning.

I am very excited about this opportunity and am so thankful that God has allowed me to go to TMC and be apart of this group. I am also thankful for my parents and all that they have done to make it possible.

I head for Israel on January 17, 2009 and will try to update this blog whenever possible. My purpose in creating this blog is so that my parents, friends, and family who wish to see what I am up to over there will get a chance to see some pictures and find out what I am learning.

Please pray for me and the rest of the group! And keep in touch by email: danaewernli@gmail.com or facebook. I won't be able to talk on the phone (it's very expensive and I'm not even taking my cell phone). If you want to write me letters, that would be fantastic! A letter requires an $.84 stamp and a postcard $.75 stamp. My address will be:

Danae Wernli - IBEX Box #5
Moshav Yad HaShmonah
D.N. Harei Yehudah
90895 Israel

Well, Lord willing, the next time I post will be from my temporary abode in Israel!

Danae