a tomb cut in a rock

Near the rock-hewn Garden Tomb gardens in Jerusalem

Rock-hewn Garden Tomb gardens in Jerusalem, Israel

Garden Tomb gardens

sign at entrance to the Garden Tomb and gardens

Excerpt from "Meeting God in Holy Places," by F. LaGard Smith: 

"After all, when do we most need comforting?


When we are on a mountaintop, or when we are in the pits? Without question, God knows full well when we need him most. How could we ever forget that our Savior Himself was buried in a quarry? 


When Joseph of Arimethea had taken Jesus' body down from the cross, he wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a "tomb cut in the rock." Had the story ended there, of course, there would be no comfort in Christ. The quarry of death would have held captive its prey...but the psalmist's words have meaning for us precisely because they had meaning for Jesus: 


"From the depths of the earth you will again bring me up. You will increase my honor and comfort me once again." By the ropes of his divine power, God lifted up "a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation" of his temple.

By those same ropes of grace, God lifts us up from the bosom of his heart and give us new life, new hope, new vision for what he has called us to be. The prophet Isaiah changes the metaphor so that not just Christ is hewn out and lifted up as the chief cornerstone, but we ourselves become hewn from him who is the Rock of Ages. "Listen to me," says Isaiah, "you who pursue righteousness and who seek the Lord: Look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn."

path leading to the Garden Tomb

Is there a greater expression of hope and expectancy? "The Lord will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; he will make her deserts like Eden, her wastelands like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singling."

Comfort. Compassion. Joy. Gladness. Thanksgiving. Singing. All from the depths of a heaven-like quarry. All from the immeasurable depth and breadth of the heart of an ineffable God."

Jesus, the One and Only

Beth Moore opened our "Jesus, the One and Only" Bible study by sharing the Scripture Luke 24:45-48, "Then He opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in His Name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high." 

Beth Moore prayed, "Open our minds, beginning at Jerusalem, to receive a fresh anointing, to receive power, to be clothed in power for the rest of our lives."

Excerpt from the book, "Meeting God in Holy Places," by F. LaGard Smith: "We will walk together in the land of Israel, rediscovering the holy places where God interacted with his chosen people in a special way. I say, "holy places," knowing that it is not the places themselves that are holy, but the recorded presence of God in those places that has made them so. We will walk up the Mount of Olives and stop to meditate in the quiet of the Garden of Gethsemane. You can almost see Jesus weeping over it, crying once again, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often have I longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing." 


Jerusalem was always special to God. It was Jerusalem where God chose to have Solomon build the temple. Jerusalem, where Jesus made his triumphal entry on the foal of a donkey. Jerusalem, where the Good News would first be preached by the apostles. No wonder we look forward to the heavenly Jerusalem! Somewhere in that lowly village of Bethlehem, south of Jerusalem, God surprised us by coming into our world so that we might enter into His. 


This is the incredible impact of a visit to Israel. As you walk away from Bethlehem, or Gethsemane, or the Jordan River, your life will never again be the same. You've walked on "Holy Ground." You've touched and been touched. You've seen the face of God more clearly than ever before. This is the land where God chose to reveal Himself to us. Something deep within myself is prompted by what I see: a new thought, a different perspective; a grander vision of who I can be as a servant of God."

Bedouin Dinner with Beth Moore in Judean Desert

My dear friend, Linda Thomas (r), with Beth Moore (c) and me (l) in Israel

My journey to Israel really began in September, 1999, when I began the Beth Moore Bible Study, Breaking Free, and met my dear friend, Linda Thomas, in our small discussion group. During this Bible study, we both received a postcard in the mail from Living Proof ministries with the question, Would you like to join Beth Moore in Israel for the filming of her newest Bible Study, Jesus, the One and Only? Our immediate answer was, "Yes!" 

Our journey to Israel was March 14-22, 2000, but our spiritual journey had only just begun. Once we returned from the trip, it was the beginning of each of us spending daily quiet time in prayer and study of God's word, getting together weekly for lunch and accountability, sharing our joys and sorrows in this daily walk of life.

To prepare for our trip, a friend recommended the excellent book, Meeting God in Holy Places by F. LaGard Smith, and we bought three of them, one for each of us, and one we gave to Beth Moore when we saw her at a Living Proof Live event in Orlando in January 2000. On Friday, March 17, 2000, about 6 p.m. our group arrived at the Judean desert site of Kfar Nokdim for an authentic Bedouin "Hafla" dinner. We were served under large tents with oriental-type rugs and cushions on the ground. Large trays of food were set on short wooden stands, as we sat on the cushions to eat. There were camels to ride and entertainment.

The highlight of the night was our opportunity to have our picture taken with Beth Moore. I took my copy of Meeting God in Holy Places, which was the book we had given her in Orlando in January. She said, "I was hoping I would get to see you to tell you I love the book, and I brought it with me on this trip. Everyone who has come in my room has asked me where I got it." Then she added, "I love the part about the graves of Mary and Martha in Bethany. I wanted to go look to see if I could find them, and then I realized that their names would be written in Hebrew, it would not say, "Mary" and "Martha" in English." She laughed, signed our books, and hugged us, and said, "Whose line is longer, mine or the one for the camel rides?"  As she signed our books she wrote, "Dearest Beth, I have loved this book! He's Life! Beth Moore"...indeed, He IS!!!

Linking up with (in)courage on the theme of Friendship--On Purpose

Mount Tabor

As we passed by Mount Tabor in our tour bus, our tour guide said, "The only way to the top of Mount Tabor is by taxi on your next trip to Israel." Like so many of the inexhaustible places to visit in Israel, we will have to wait until our next trip to go to the top. This time we were only able to drive by Mount Tabor, just long enough to capture this photo from the bus, but long enough to imagine what it must have been like on that glorious transfiguration day through the excellent description and closing prayer in the book, "Meeting God in Holy Places," by F. LaGard Smith:

"Jesus' preeminence, messiahship, lordship, ultimate authority, and indeed, divinity were yet to be demonstrated. So we find Jesus taking Peter, James, and John and leading them "up a high mountain by themselves." At the top, the disciples were apparently taking a rest while Jesus was praying. Suddenly Jesus' face was seen to shine like the sun! The apostles would later describe Jesus' clothes as "dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them." Or "as bright as a flash of lightning!"

Then, amazement of all amazements, the three apostles saw Moses, and Elijah standing there with Jesus, talking about the events which would take place in Jerusalem when he would depart from the earth. Moses and Elijah were there, our spirits live beyond the grave! There was power of recognition whereby it was possible for Jesus and the apostles to know who Moses and Elijah were. Does this not suggest that on the other side, "I shall know fully, even as I am fully known," that you and I will be able to instantly recognize Moses and Elijah as if we had known them all over lives?

Then, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, Whom I love; with Him I am well-pleased. Listen to Him!" What God said of His Son that day on the summit of Mount Tabor was not just a repetition of what he had said on the occasion of Jesus' baptism: "This is my Son, Whom I love; with Him I am well-pleased." It's those three additional words--"Listen to Him!"--that tell the tale. The voice from Heaven. The voice of God. The thundering, awesome, terrifying voice of Jehovah saying, "Listen to Him!"

O Lord, hear my prayer. With each new day, speak to me out of the cloud. Let my face shine brighter and brighter with the light of Your Son. And may my own story end just as theirs ended that glorious day on Mount Tabor: "When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus."

Elijah on Mount Carmel

Our last day of this marvelous journey in March 2000 took us to the top of Mount Carmel. My prayer this day is beautifully expressed in this excerpt from the book, "Meeting God in Holy Places," by F. LaGard Smith: "It was Elijah who announced the famine that would come over the land of Israel because of its idolatry; who was fed meat and bread by the ravens while he hid out from the king; who performed the miracle of the widow's replenishing flour; and who raised the same widow's son from the dead. But we remember him best for the great contest with prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, which had been covered with shrines to Baal. Elijah prayed to God, and God sent down a ferocious fire which consumed the sacrifice--meat, wood, water, stones, dirt, and all! 

As demonstrated so powerfully in the story of Elijah, we're just liable to get what we pray for! Can you imagine it? A fire coming down out of Heaven, consuming every selfish desire, every stubborn will, every wayward thought, every misdirected word, every evil motive? 

Lord Jesus, Your power is too great, too consuming for my wavering faith. Send me this day the tiniest spark that might ignite in me a flame of passion for Your Greater Power in my life. Prepare in me a heart willing to accept Your overwhelming love, and only then, Lord, pour down upon me the fullness of Your Self until my own being is wholly consumed in Thine."

Valley of Jezreel (Armageddon) Mount of Megiddo

The Mount of Megiddo with this view of the Valley of Jezreel (Armageddon) was one of our last stops in March 2000. My emotions and experiences are beautifully articulated in this excerpt from the book, "Meeting God in Holy Places," by F. LaGard Smith: 

"In his wondrous Revelation, John sees a vision of God's ultimate judgment on mankind, which, through the use of the word "Armageddon" he associates with the historic battleground of Megiddo. 


Positioned at the center of this eternal conflict, Armageddon, symbolizes all battles between Good and Evil--past, present, and future. In the closing act of this section of Revelation, flashes of lightning, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and 100 pounds of hailstones are followed by a loud voice from the heavenly throne, saying, "It is done!" 


One can hardly miss the obvious parallel between this scene and that awful hour at Crucifixion when the whole of heaven and earth shook at Jesus' own words, "It is finished!" The message of Armageddon is the good news that the outcome of the battle between Good and Evil is no longer in doubt. Ours is the victory! Through the death of Him who was slain for the sins of the world, both sin and death have been conquered--once and for all! 


Good has already triumphed! Evil has already been defeated! Satan can't beat us! I put on my armor, took renewed courage, and launched out once again into the fray. But this time, walking closer than ever to the One who has already fought the greatest battle ever--and won!"

Caesarea by the Mediterranean Sea

Walking in the sand beside this Roman Aqueduct in Caesarea by the Mediterranean Sea, taking in the significance of this Roman Amphitheater where the Apostle Paul proclaimed the Good News of Jesus Christ, with historical validation of the inscription of the name “Pontius Pilate.” 

The reality of where I am is suddenly so clear to me, and all I know to be true because of what the Holy Spirit has revealed to me in the inspired, infallible, inerrant Holy Word of God. 

As I stand beside and climb on these structures, built when Jesus Christ walked on this Earth, I am filled over and over again with the awesome awareness of the Presence of God in this place.

The Western Wall of Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem

Walking up to the Western Wall of Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem on March 16, 2000, I am struck with the reality of the exact location of where I am...


When Herod renovated the second temple at the end of the first century before Christ, he shored up the temple plaza on all sides by massive walls, up to six stories high. 


Although only half that height is visible above ground level today, the Western Wall is still impressive, particularly the 165-foot portion known as the Wailing Wall. 


I approach the Western Wall, reach out my hand and touch the unusually smooth surface of these formerly rough stones, made so smooth by so many people touching them over the centuries. 


This wall would have been just on the other side of the Holy-of-Holies in the Tabernacle...I wrote my prayer, "Lord Jesus Christ, give us a heart and mind which worships You as the One and Only Holy God..." 


I signed my name and the names of my closest family members, folded the paper and placed it in the small cracks between the smooth stones of the Western Wall, the Wailing Wall, along with thousands of other small pieces of paper placed there each day.

Out of all the world, the Jews had been God's chosen people. To the Jews alone had God miraculously appeared in the cloud and in the sea. 


When the Glory of the Lord filled the temple, God was literally present in the midst of His people! "Destroy this temple," Jesus said, "and I will raise it again in three days." 


But the temple of which Jesus had spoken was His own crucified body. One day it was as dead as the stone covering His tomb, three days later it was brought back to life again by the incomparable power of His Resurrection! And here lies our hope. "Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?"

As I walk away from the Western Wall...I have not taken even the first step away from God's Presence...the Spirit of Christ Who dwells in the innermost part of me, taking Authority over my soul--the seat of my emotions, and my body--my fleshly desires and appetities. All Praise, Honor, and Glory to You, my Lord and my Savior Jesus Christ, the One and Only Son of the Living God.