Israel: A Life-Changing Trip

All my life I've wanted to go to Israel.  I've wanted to walk where Jesus walked and see the landscape that carved out so much of Biblical history.  I always thought that it would be an experience beyond description to be able to stand in the places where so many divine events occurred, and I think I was right.

The Western Wall and Temple Mount

Our two weeks in Israel was much more than just a sight-seeing tour, it was more of a Biblical study trip.  Our guide was a South African pastor/Hebrew scholar and Bible teacher.  He encouraged us to learn how to read the scriptures through the lens of the Hebrew culture and language.  Generally we read the Bible with our 21st century American viewpoint, and it's easy to misinterpret things.  Much of the things Jesus said that we find confusing today were spoken in Hebrew idioms that would have made perfect sense to his audience of the time.  The teachings we heard helped us better understand the context of the Bible and allowed us to see how obvious it was that God has been at work in the lives of his people since the beginning of time. 

Mt. of Olives

The theme for the two weeks for me was all about going deeper -- really digging into scripture and experiencing God on a whole new level.  I know this is what the Lord is calling me to do, and I'm really excited to see where he leads me and what he reveals to me as I study.  There is so much more to the Bible than just words on the page.  There is culture, context, and language that hold insights into what we read and how we can apply the word of God to our lives.  I trust that God wants to reveal himself to those who are willing to seek him.  He is findable for those who look!

Sea of Galilee