We began this journey overlooking the old city of Jerusalem from Mount Scopus and are ending it overlooking the fertile plains of the Jezreel valley from Mount Tabor.
Jerusalem
Jerusalem, in all her beauty and majesty, broken, full of division, inner conflict and chaos, has been abused and harmed by many, but each time, has stood up and tried to reclaim her former glory.
She has acted like a spoilt child at times and yet has hosted kings, many of them falling at her feet, all wanting to possess her. Many have.
She has so many stories to tell of both heartbreak and celebration and how men from all nations have flocked to her in their droves, declaring their love for her and bearing gifts, and others who have brought devastation – though at times, due to her own doing.
They have all wanted something from her yet all that she has ever wanted is to be loved. She has given herself to many in the hope that maybe this time she would be saved. And yet, when her savior did come, she did not recognize him, but instead rejected him and watched him die.
She had expected that he would come from the outside, in the same manner that the other kings had come – seen from her walls at a distance with a display of force and power – a knight in shining armor. Yet instead, he had been within her gates – the voice of peace, love and assurance that all was well.
Before he died, he wept for her, and said this, “Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how I have longed to take you in my arms and care for you, but in your fear and confusion, you were blinded to me. You will not experience my love and my life, Jerusalem, until you realize that within you, ‘I AM’ your every blessing”.
From there, we descended to the Dead Sea, taking her with us in our hearts. Not that she was not there before – only now we recognize her in ourselves.
Galilee
Like a baptism of sorts, we then ascended to Galilee, which name means to “roll away”. As the stones which we have built up in and around our hearts are removed, Christ is revealed there in all glory.
In Isaiah it says, “Jerusalem will be a city without walls… and I myself will be a wall of fire around it, and I will be its glory within.”
Galilee is the place of revelation, peace, healing and restoration.
Mount Tabor
When Jesus stood here on Mount Tabor he appeared in ‘radiant glory, shining with bright rays of light’. Just before this, he had asked his disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” and Peter had answered, “You are the Christ”.
In John it says that the Christ is the light of all men and then in Matthew Jesus says that you and I are the light of the world. This Christ-light means to understand or know. But understand or know what?
Jesus came to reveal and demonstrate this to us. He said it this way: “On that day you will know that I am in my father, that you are in me and I am in you.”
He then prays for this revelation when he says, “That they all may be one; as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us. And the glory which you have given me I have given them; that they may be one, even (the same) as we are one: I in them, and you in me, that they may be (made) perfect in one; and that the world may know that you have sent me, and have loved them, as you have loved me.”
That day that Jesus refers to is prophesied in Isaiah, it says, “Arise (or awaken) and shine, for your light has come and the glory of the Lord rises upon (from within) you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over its peoples, but the Lord rises upon (from within) you and his glory appears over (from within) you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn (revelation)”
Finally, in Revelation 21 of the Mirror bible it says:
“And I saw her, in spotless magnificence, the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, descending out of the heavens; having been fully prepared as a bride and beautifully adorned for her husband.
And a glorious announcement was heralded out of the Throne, “Behold, God’s tabernacle is with the human race!” He has taken up permanent residence in human skin to be with them in the closest possible association of oneness. They are his own possession; his tribe and he is their God inseparably entwined with them.
He wipes every tear from their eyes and blots out every hurtful memory! And death shall be no more. Nor any association with it; no more mourning and bitter weeping nor any reference to pain! For the former things have passed away!
And the one seated upon the Throne said, Behold, I make all things new! And he instructed me to write, because those words are true and to be relied on!”
That day, that Jesus spoke about, HAS COME, you and I are the New Jerusalem NOW – One with God. We are the eternal, infinite, perfect, complete, glorious, holy city on a hill, that cannot be hidden! The Throne Room of God is within us.
ברק
