Home from Israel

After 27 hours in the air, Dad and I have just arrived back in New Zealand. We truly are at the ends of the earth out here in NZ, in fact I'm not sure if there's anywhere else on the earth that you could fly further to get to from Israel than NZ. As you probably know G W Bush and a remnant of other world leaders have converged on Israel this week for talks, we were glad to get out before the ball started rolling. Security was super tight. Army, Police, and check points everywhere. The Jerusalem convention centre, where we had The Call, was the place they are meeting, right next door to the hotel we were staying at, so you can imagine the chaos around that part of Jerusalem. Yep, good timing to leave.

Well, it was definitely a life changing week for me as I walked the Land that Jesus walked, looked over Jerusalem, sat on the mount of olives with our IWT Int'l leaders and met and prayed, walked the old city and the new, and met the Jews and experienced their culture and way of life. I believe that I will look back on this week in the years to come and see just how significant this time was in regards to what God is doing in my generation all across the earth. It was a time packed with rich times in God, strategy meetings, a 12 hour solemn assembly, walking the land Jesus did, and connecting with people from all over the world. It's quite hard to describe in a few sentences all of what went on, but i can say for sure my outlook on life, the way I view the bible, the way that I approach life in these days has changed forever.

I remember one of our meetings was held on the Mount of Olives under a tree, looking over the Kidron valley past the thousands of graves towards the city of Jerusalem and the gates to the city(old city) and Mount Zion. As we waited in quietness, my heart trembled as I flipped open my bible to Zechariah 8. this is what it says:

"Again the word of the Lord came to me. This is what the Lord Almighty says: "I am very jealous for Zion; I am burning with Jealousy for her...I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth and the mountain of the Lord Almighty will be called the Holy Mountain".

I was totally overwhelmed as I read this scripture, and it was like waves of Revelation crashed into my spirit revealing Gods heart for Israel, and his people. To be honest, there is nothing in the natural that is special about the mount of Olives, Mount Zion etc, they're not outstanding in the natural. What makes them special is that God they are chosen by God, and I'm telling you, you can feel Gods Jealousy for that city, the place that the Lord will return and rule over the earth from. It was crazy to be there on the Mount of Olives knowing that one day soon the very Feet of Jesus will stand in that very place and the Mount of Olives will be spilt in two forming a great valley. (Zech 14:4).

And, As I looked from the Mount of Olives across the hill country surrounding Jerusalem, I remembered Psalm 125:

" Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people both now and forevermore."

WOW!

Theres a lot to digest from our time in Israel.

Here's a few pics of some of the highlights.


View of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives over the Kidron Valley.

The Call. A 12 hour solemn Assembly. Incredible time.

Jericho.

The Wailing wall. The last remains from the temple walls. People have been praying in the shadow of this wall for hundreds of years.

The streets of the Old City at night time. Skinny eh?

Check out the electrical wiring! That's just asking for trouble.

Speaks for itself.

The tomb is empty!

The garden of Gethsemane as it is today.

They say some of the olive trees are up to 1500 years old.

Dad and I up the Mount of Olives

Mount of Olives.

We had a few hours off one afternoon so we ripped accross to the dead see to check it out and go for a quick dip. Great times. It's 400 ft below sea level. VERY salty, and you don't have a choice but to float. Tip: Don't shave on the morning you go to the dead sea, if you do, you'll know about it.