In the Land Where Jesus Walked ... the Land to Which He Will Return
We've just returned from a wonderful journey to Israel. As I consider the reality of actually walking where Jesus walked during His time on earth, I am overwhelmed with humility and gratitude.
Join me in considering the price that was paid by our Savior - all so that we might be forgiven and receive the gift of eternal life.
Imagine Jesus’s moments just prior to His arrest, in the Upper Room with His disciples. The men argued about who would be the greatest in the Kingdom … and they criticized Mary for anointing Jesus with costly perfume … and they queried as He predicted that one of their own would betray Him.
How did Jesus respond to this behavior from his closest friends? The anguish escalated with each passing moment. But Jesus remained steadfast. Think about just a few of His actions during their time together:
He modeled servanthood while washing His disciples’ feet.
He trusted in the sovereignty of His Heavenly Father as He spoke of the betrayal and advised Judas to take care of the business at hand.
He celebrated, explaining the new covenant of communion.
And He prayed for His dear friends (John 17).
He then left with the disciples for the Garden of Gethsemane (pictured below). And He knelt down and prayed to His Father in Heaven.
GETHSEMANE
Luke 22 ESV 39 And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him ... 41 And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42 saying, "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done." ... 44 And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
It was here in the Garden that Judas identified Jesus to the guards and collected his bounty.
THE DUNGEON OF CAIAPHAS - WHERE JESUS WAS BOUND AND IMPRISONED
Then imagine Jesus being taken before the High Priest Caiaphas, whose home included hewned limestone dungeons - actual prison cells below ground level. It was here that our Savior was held, anticipating the agony of separation from the Father.
John 18 ESV 24 Annas then sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest. ... 28 Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor's headquarters. It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor's headquarters, so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover.
JESUS CHRIST CRUCIFIED
There are two possible locations where our Savior was crucified and buried. One site is ‘The Place of the Skull’ (see below). The traditional site is now marked by an ornate facility - The Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Both are steps away from one another.
THE PLACE OF THE SKULL
John 19 ESV 14 Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover. It was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, "Behold your King!" 15 They cried out, "Away with him, away with him, crucify him!" Pilate said to them, "Shall I crucify your King?" The chief priests answered, "We have no king but Caesar." 16 So he delivered him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus, 17 and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. 18 There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them.
JESUS IS NOT HERE … HE HAS RISEN!
THE GARDEN TOMB
Mark 15 ESV 25 And it was the third hour when they crucified him. 26 And the inscription of the charge against him read, ‘The King of the Jews.’ 27 And with him they crucified two robbers, one on his right and one on his left ... 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" ... 37 And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last ... 45 And when Pilate learned from the centurion that Jesus was dead, he granted the corpse to Joseph [of Arimathea, a member of the Sanhedrin]. 46 And Joseph bought a linen shroud, and taking Jesus down, wrapped him in the linen shroud and laid him in a tomb that had been cut out of the rock. And he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb.
Mark 16 ESV 2 And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they [Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome] went to the tomb. ... 5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. 6 And he said to them, "Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him.”
Teri and I live a stone’s throw from a cemetery. The earthly tents of several people we know have been buried there. Whenever we drive past we are reminded of the brevity of our lives here on earth … and that we must number our days aright that we may gain a heart of wisdom (Psalm 90.12).
The resurrection reminds us that our physical death is not final. Death is separation. Physical death is the separation of our immaterial soul from our bodies. Eternal death is the separation of a soul from the presence of God … and this is forever.
When we behold this significant collection of gravestones, we contemplate the eternal destiny of each person represented. Each has left this temporal life for a predetermined eternal ‘home.’ All will one day be resurrected - some to eternal life with our Lord and others to eternal separation from God. One is triumphant, while the other is torturous. Are you certain of your destination?
JESUS IS COMING AGAIN!
MEGIDDO - JESUS DEFEATS THE NATIONS GATHERED FOR WAR
Revelation 16 ESV 13 And I saw, coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs. 14 For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty ... 16 And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.
Revelation 19 ESV 11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. 13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. 14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.
During our time in Israel I had the opportunity to share the above passages with the wonderful people who were part of our group. As we overlooked the Valley of Megiddo - the location of the future battle of Armageddon - I invited our friends to imagine what it will be like when we, as part of the Armies of Heaven (Revelation 19.14), will be with our Savior when He returns and strikes down the nations of the world. Incredible to think of what this moment (which is guaranteed by the Word of God!) will be like. And we also have reason to believe we will be firsthand witnesses to what will happen when the King of Kings returns to the Mount of Olives.
JESUS SETS FOOT ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES AND IT SPLITS IN TWO
Zechariah 14 ESV 3 Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle. 4 On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley, so that one half of the Mount shall move northward, and the other half southward.
Acts 1 ESV 9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven."
JESUS ENTERS THE TEMPLE MOUNT THROUGH THE EASTERN GATE
Ezekiel 43 ESV 1 Then he led me to the gate, the gate facing east. 2 And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the east. And the sound of his coming was like the sound of many waters, and the earth shone with his glory.
Not a day passes without my heart’s cry, ‘Lord, may your kingdom come and will be done on earth as it is in heaven!’ Even though clearly referenced in many passages of Scripture, it is difficult to imagine what it will be like when the Lord Jesus reigns on earth.
As we celebrate our Savior’s victory over sin and death, may we also long for His appearing. These days of chaos certainly cry out for the arrival of the ‘Prince of Peace.’ As Paul wrote to Timothy, I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season … (2 Timothy 4:1-4).
Let us together be eager in season and out of season to live the Word … and proclaim at every opportunity, ‘He Is Risen! He Is Risen Indeed!’
John Nieder