Holy Land – Dead Sea Scrolls and Essenes

Posted on by kevinjandt

imageAs we continued our trek around Israel we hit some incredible locations such as Masada which was a mountain top fortress built by Herod the Great, and more notably was occupied by a group of Jewish rebels that held the fort against the Romans after the first revolt and ended in a mass suicide of 967 people.

We also toured the Qumran which was an ancient settlement of the Essenes, a Jewish sect that copied the Dead Sea Scrolls and hid them in the caves surrounding where they lived.  They were what I would consider almost an ancient Puritan group.  They lived communally, rejecting any sort of personal wealth, and focused on living pious lives.  They not only copied the scriptures, they also wrote commentaries and expositions of the scriptures and a complete copy of the book of Isaiah was found which perfectly matches the Isaiah that we read today.

It was quite encouraging to climb the hills where David hid from Saul with 300 of his men.  We saw the accuracy of God’s word as it says that David convinced his men not to kill Saul.  I thought how could David carry on this conversation in a cave with 300 men and Saul not hear him?  The cave is located with a fresh water spring that had a powerfully running stream down through it which would have concealed their voices.

1 Samuel 24:1-5  Now it happened, when Saul had returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, “Take note! David is in the Wilderness of En Gedi.”  Then Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel, and went to seek David and his men on the Rocks of the Wild Goats.  (There are still wild goats roaming around there).  So he came to the sheepfolds by the road, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to attend to his needs.  (David and his men were staying in the recesses of the cave.)  Then the men of David said to him, “This is the day of which the LORD said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do to him as it seems good to you.’”  Then David arose and stealthily cut off the corner of Saul’s robe.

imageHow incredible to see God’s word so convincingly come to life and affirm its incredible accuracy.  For the Believer this trip was just a great confirmation of what we already know, God’s Word is truth.  For the non-believer they will continue to suppress the truth in unrighteousness and ultimately bow before the King.

What I’ve most powerfully seen is the responsibility of the Believer to share the “Good News” because this world is dying in its sins and trespasses.  Let’s be compassionate and tell them they need Jesus.

Kevin

Holy Land Day 3 – True or False

Posted on by kevinjandt

imageI had the best of intentions to post each day on our trip to the Holy Land, but REALLY bad internet connections, and super busy days seemed to win out.  Since it was such a valuable experience I’ve decided to go back and post a few quick articles to summarize the trip.  I might blend a couple together but I want to share the experience and encourage those who may consider a trip someday to definitely do so.

Each day has held a theme and today’s theme was true or false worship.  There are many people that are very sincere in their worship; the problem is they are sincerely wrong.  What is the difference between something that is true and something false?

God has given His people very specific guidelines for true worship.  Believers must worship in Spirit and in Truth, so it is imperative that worship is done according to God’s plan not our own, no matter how that “feels”.

God has provided His word, the Bible, as the guide for how we are to worship.

If your church gathering is more concerned about pleasing people than it is about preaching with authority the word of God you may want to dig deeper into what is true worship.

When Jesus took his disciples up to Caesarea Philippi to reveal Himself to them, He took them to the center of pagan worship, the place pagan’s believed a cave was the entrance to the gates of hell.  Jesus shows His disciples He is the source of true worship.

Matthew 16:13 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”

Matthew 16:15-16 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”  Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”  Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.  And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

In ancient times and in modern times, those that depart from God’s commands for worship are either punished or chastened, having worship done correctly is a matter of life and death and Jesus took them to this region to show them the difference.

Kevin

Holy Land Day 2 – The Gospel

Posted on by kevinjandt

Jesus was born in Bethlehem, grew up in Nazareth and spent the majority of His ministry based out of Capernaum.  This is hard to visually understand, because we’ve all heard these names but don’t really understand the relationship and what it would have been like to travel in those days.  We just hop in a car and go.

As we took a boat ride today on the Sea of Galilee it came much more into focus for me.  Capernaum was home base for Jesus and His disciples, and was a busy town of approximately 2000 people at the time of Christ.

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It was here that Jesus performed many of His miracles and changed the course of world history.

Matthew 4:13-17 And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; the people who sat in darkness saw a great light, and upon those who sat in the regioin and shadow of death light has dawned.”  From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Isaiah had prophesied this was the place the Lord would dwell and as we walked this area I was struck by what it must have been like in those days.  These were not major metropolitan areas as we know today, just rural fishing villages, but yet all who lived there had busy lives interacting with each other, and Capernaum was a place of commerce and darkness as the scripture tells us.

Ancient Synagogue

Can you imagine how the arrival of the Christ turned their world upside down?  Especially those He called to be His disciples.  Ordinary, common fishermen would learn from Him and then go into the world to spread Christianity across the planet.

How amazing!  What kind of a plan was this?  Just like Paul would have never considered how God would use him, neither could those fishermen imagine they would become fisher’s of men.

Kevin

Holy Land – Day 1 – Paul Preaching

Posted on by kevinjandt

Acts 26:1-3  Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself.”  So Paul stretched out his hand and answered for himself; “I think myself happy, King Agrippa, because today I shall answer for myself before you concerning all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which have to do with the Jews.  Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently.”

Can you imagine this scene?  Paul had been brought to Caesarea in chains; this coastal town on the Mediterranean where he has been given the opportunity to give testimony to thousands as they come to watch and listen.

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Who could have ever guessed how God would use Paul’s suffering and imprisonment for His ultimate purposes.  Paul would have never come up with this plan, but he knows God’s purposes are much bigger than his own personal comfort.

Today, will you let your momentary affliction affect what might be God’s plan, or will you embrace it as Paul did for the furtherance of the gospel?

Acts 25:23 So the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had come with great pomp, and had entered the auditorium with the commanders and the prominent men of the city, at Festus’ command Paul was brought in.

imageToday we stood where Paul stood and proclaimed the good news.  The same place where God poured out judgment on Herod as he was proclaimed a “god” by the people (Acts 12:22).  What a thrill, to see how God works in all circumstances to accomplish His desired goal.

Kevin

Holy Land – Day 1 – I have no control…

Posted on by kevinjandt

In the past 24 hours I’ve been reminded, how little I control in my life.  Although I sometimes think I have control, I realized what a mirage that is for me.  I’ve faced the reality I have no control over the weather, I have no control over where I’m going to go when I go through an airport, and I certainly realize I can’t control a car service to pickup us up on our schedule.

As we flew across the Atlantic yesterday and I had time to think about how massive this planet is, and yet it is not even a pin drop in comparison to the magnitude of God’s awesome power and control.   As much as I sometimes enjoy the charade I play with my mind, it’s really not my call.

James 4:13-14 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow.  For what is your life?  It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.

This is fresh for me today as I consider I’m very small.  Yet God is very big and for those of us that have an intimate relationship with Him, through Jesus Christ, we matter to Him.  He desires that we enjoy the good gifts He provides and sometimes those gifts come through the realization, we are just little bitty creatures that have no control.

He has provided us an opportunity to visit the land He chose to walk as the God/Man.  Of the entire place on this earth, this is the place where our Lord chose to be born, to live, to minister, to suffer, to die and to rise again.  What an awesome reality.   How humbling that is.

So today, when you think you have control or you feel out of control; consider that if you are in Christ, no matter what the outcome it’s all in God’s plan.

Proverbs 16:9 A man’s heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.

I hope to keep you updated as best I can with short little posts and pictures from this beautiful country of Israel.  Please feel free to follow me on Facebook for photos and posts.

Shalom

Kevin