Goodbye Jerusalem

Well, it's been an incredible 5 months here at the center of the world. I got here scared to death over a new situation, a new life, and having to start the whole college process all over again. I didn't know anybody (except for my fellow Cobber Evan), I didn't know the city, and I didn't really know what to expect. I leave here an acclimated resident of the only city on Earth that has held the attention of mankind since the beginning of time, and will continue to hold it until the end of time. Since the early days of the B.C. era, Jerusalem has been here, fought over by the empires and kingdoms of the region. Since then, it has not faded quietly onto the pages of history, as Nineveh, Babylon, Thebes, Susa, and countless others have. The city's importance has only grown over the centuries, with the arrival of the Israelites and the creation of the Kingdom of Israel, with David moving its capital from Hebron to Jerusalem, and with Solomon's building of the Temple to the One True God on one of its mountaintops. Destruction of the city by the Babylonians in 586 B.C., instead of marking the end of the city, only enhanced its prestige and holiness in the minds and hearts of the Jews, who returned 70 years later to rebuild their capital and temple. Jerusalem grew and became an ancient wonder of the world by the time of King Herod and the Roman Occupation in the years just before Christ. Christ's death and resurrection in this city was the greatest single event in the history of mankind, and it made Jerusalem the holiest city on earth for members of the new covenant along with those of the old. In the years that followed Christ's resurrection and ascension to heaven, the Jews rebelled against the Romans twice, resulting in the destruction of the temple, the city, and the expulsion of the Jews from Israel by Roman Emperor Hadrian. In the centuries that followed, Jerusalem survived whilst changing hands multiple times. The Byzantines, the Persians, the early Muslims, the Crusaders, the Mamluks, the Ottomans, the Egyptians, and the British all ruled this city and imposed their personalities on it. The Muslims built a mosque on the Temple Mount. The Christians built the Holy Sepulcher. The city became the focal point for the three major religions of the world, and each fought the others for control. Finally, in 1948 and after an 1800 year absence, the Jews ended their exile and recreated a Jewish state in Israel. The city of Jerusalem once again was the capital of the Jews, and in 1967 it was once again united under Jewish rule. That is the status of the city to this day. Over the past 5 months, I have had the wonderful opportunity to learn about and explore Jerusalem, spending a lot of time in the Old City and on the Mount of Olives and Mount Zion. It has been incredible for me to be able to experience all of the city's history, from the walls around the Old City built by Suleiman the Magnificent in the 15th century, to the Roman remains of the old Cardo Maximus leading through the Christian Quarter, to the last remaining portion of the 2nd Temple left standing, to the Temple Mount itself. I have had incredible adventures and moments in this city, too many for a blog post. I know that my life will be forever changed after this semester in the City of God. Tomorrow night, I get on a plane to go home to Minnesota. I can't wait to see friends and family and eat non-kosher food once again. As my last night in Jerusalem draws to a close, a song sung by Bilbo Baggins comes to mind: "The Road goes ever on and on, down from the door where it began. Now far ahead the Road goes on, and I must follow if I can. Pursuing it with eager feet, until it joins some larger way, where many paths and errands meet, and wither then? I cannot say." Shalom y'all.

Covenants Old and New

Before coming over here, I had a really hard time trying to figure out a title for this blog. "On the Shoulders of Giants" "In the City of God" and "Looking Ahead, Looking Behind" (thank you Gandalf) were all finalists, but none of them seemed to fit. Finally, I settled on "Covenants Old and New". To a lot of you, it's probably obvious what the title means, but I'd like to write about it anyway as I finish up my time here. Firstly, the title talks about the "Old Covenant", which means the everlasting agreement between God and the Jewish people. This agreement, when boiled down to one sentence, made the Jewish people God's chosen people in return for their obedience and worship of Him. This Covenant was renewed several times in the Old Testament, but it began between God and Abraham, when God called Abraham to give up the nice life he and his family had made for themselves in the ancient city of Ur and follow God to an unknown land, which would become their inheritance for all time. This Covenant was renewed between God and Abraham's son Isaac, and again with Isaac's son Jacob, who's name was changed by God to Israel. Israel's twelve sons became the founders of the twelve tribes of Israel. This Covenant was renewed again at Mount Sinai between God, Moses, and the Israelites after they left Egypt. This Covenant still holds true today, and the Jewish people, despite centuries of disobedience and fair-weather follower-ship, are still His chosen people. There is a reason that this Covenant is called the "Old" though. The Old Covenant dealt with God's law, or the list of rules and regulations God gave His people to govern their lives and show them the path to salvation. The Ten Commandments were and are a part of God's Law. Because God is perfect and we are not, this law is impossible for a human being to completely fulfill, and its purpose is to highlight our inherent sinful nature and the need for forgiveness and redemption. This divide between God and man, between perfect and imperfect, lead to the need for a new Covenant to bridge the gap. This new Covenant was provided by Jesus, the Son of God, who of His own free will chose to come to earth, live a perfect life as a man while still fully God, and sacrifice Himself for mankind. Through this perfect sacrifice, mankind, even though we are still burdened by our sinful nature, now have a way to heaven through faith and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. If living a perfect life and dying for us, even though He Himself was innocent, does not prove that Christ is God, His rising from the dead three days after death does. Through His sacrifice, Christ formed a new Covenant between God and man through His blood. This is why we Christians perform the act of Communion at church. We relive the Last Supper, where Jesus formed the new Covenant between God and man through His body and His blood, shed so that we may live. As a Christian and Follower of Christ, I am a part of this new Covenant, one formed on the foundation of sacrifice, forgiveness, and faith. Jesus Christ the Messiah fulfilled the Law that God laid down to Moses by living a perfect life, therefore fulfilling the first Covenant and ushering in the second. The return of a person wedded to the second covenant to the land of the first was a major reason for me coming to Israel. Without Israel, there would be no Christianity. Without the Jews, there would be no Christians. Without the Old Covenant, there would be no New. I have come to this land to pay homage to the Jewish people, the chosen people of God Himself. We Christians seem to forget that our Lord Himself was and is a Jew. We cover up the Old Testament and forget about it, focusing on the New. While the New Testament is critical and is the blueprint for our faith, we must never forget that the Old Testament, and the Old Covenant, is the foundation. When I came here, I asked God to reveal His purpose for my life. I asked Him to tell me why He brought me here. Five months later, I have my answer: to follow His Son, and to defend His people. In the era of the New Covenant, it is my job to keep the memory of the Old alive, and to remind my fellow believers that it is still valid. The Jews, whether they agree with us about Christ or not, remain God's Chosen, and it is our job to defend and protect them to the best of our ability. "He who blesses you I will bless, and he who curses you I will curse." I will never forget my time here, in Israel, the land of Covenants Old and New.

No Longer Blind

Before I came here five months ago, it would be safe to say that I was a blind supporter of Israel. Anything they did, I would support, and I would vocally defend them in all their actions and endeavors. Any atrocities or mistakes that they would make I would put into "quotes" to show my contempt for people who condemned Israel. My constant refrain was "We have no idea what it's like living in Israel and dealing with the things they deal with on a daily basis, so how dare we criticize them?" This statement still holds true, and I will still say it. However, over the course of the last several months, I've made the obvious discovery that Israel isn't perfect. While they are incredibly unique and are blessed with an amazing military, citizenry, government, and the One True God, the fact remains that Israel makes mistakes just like every other country. Are these mistakes magnified by our media and the international community to the point of the ridiculous? Yes. Does that change the fact that Israel makes mistakes and isn't perfect? No. Israel is not perfect, and they have black marks on their record just like every other country on Earth. One of these is the Sabra and Shatila massacres, where Israel stood by and watched while their Lebanese Christian allies entered Palestinian camps and slaughtered hundreds of men, women, and children during the First Lebanon War. Ariel Sharon, the Defense Minister at the time, knew about the intent of the Christian forces in advance, but did nothing to stop it. The old me would point to the countless acts of butchery and terrorism committed by Palestinians against Israelis as justification for this. While it is true that the Palestinians have been far more guilty of committing acts of terror than the Israelis have, it does not change the fact that this massacre was wrong, and Israel should have stopped it. Another area of blindness for me before coming here were the Palestinians themselves. Before coming, I looked on the Palestinians with suspicion, remembering the video of Palestinians dancing in the streets in Ramallah, Jericho, Hebron, and other cities in the West Bank in the aftermath of 9/11. I would point to 1948, where the Jews accepted partition of Palestine but the Palestinians did not, as justification for denying them a state. I would say things along the lines of "They had their chance, and they threw it away." This statement is true: the Palestinians did have a chance for a state in 1948, and many chances afterwards, but every chance they have received over the years has been rejected. The old saying "The Palestinians never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity" is absolutely true. That being said, however, this semester has opened my eyes to the Palestinian side of the conflict. It helped that I took a Palestinian History course taught by a Palestinian. Over the last five months, I've learned another simple truth: the Palestinians are people too, and regardless of their history, they deserve to be treated like human beings. Does this mean that they deserve a state in the West Bank? I don't know. Does this mean that their demands for Jerusalem should be accepted? No. I don't know what should happen, and I don't have any answers for a solution to this conflict. What I have learned here, however, is that the status quo isn't sustainable; something needs to be done. As a Christian, I can no longer turn a blind eye to the massive human suffering of millions of people in the West Bank, especially when the vast majority of them are decent individuals. What does this new outlook on life mean for my view of Israel? I still support them. I am as close as a Gentile Christian can get to being a Zionist: I believe that Israel has a right to exist, to defend itself, and to live in security and peace with its neighbors, and I believe that that "security and peace" should be on its own terms. I believe that the Jewish People are the Chosen People of God, and that He has preordained their return to and defense of this land. I believe that the Jewish People have a Biblical right to the land of Israel, and I believe that they will never ever be separated from it again. I believe that Jerusalem is the eternal and undivided capital of the State of Israel. I believe that the continued existence of Israel is a modern miracle, and that Israel shall never be destroyed. I will go home as strong a supporter of Israel as I was when I came here, but this time I will acknowledge that Israel is not perfect, and that they have made mistakes. At the end of the day, however, I support the People of God, because "He who blesses you I will bless, and he who curses you I will curse."

Ein Gedi

Today, I was blessed to be able to take one of my last trips here in Israel to a place that I had been wanting to get to for some time: Ein Gedi. Ein Gedi is an oasis in the southern desert of Israel, just off of the Dead Sea. It has many pools of water, several waterfalls, and caves in the surrounding mountains where David hid from Saul during Saul's reign as King of Israel. We took the bus there early in the morning, but because there are multiple stops labeled "Ein Gedi" we got off at the wrong place and had to walk a couple of miles to our destination. The oasis is nestled in between several mountains, giving it some shade and a small breeze, which makes it much more bearable than the surrounding desert. The main trails in this oasis follow the river that works its way down into the valley below, so there are many opportunities to relax in cool pools of water, or to stick your head underneath a waterfall. There are several of these, but the best one is the furthest back into the valley. This waterfall thundered down into a broad pool from twenty or thirty feet above, and it was roped off because of the fear of falling rocks. After seeing the main areas of attraction, my friends and I turned around to head back. At a fork in the road, we realized that we could climb up the mountain path to see the actual cave where David hid from Saul. Realizing that we probably would never come here again, we decided to attempt the climb. The going was rough, with very steep and narrow paths that hugged the mountainside giving way to very steep and slippery steps that reminded me of the Minas Morgul steps that Frodo and Sam climbed on their way to Mordor. After an exhaustive climb, we found the cave that David stayed in. It was an amazing place, and I was happy that we had taken the time to go up and see it. We then began the extended climb back down, reunited with the main path, and went back to the staging area at the bottom of the valley. After we had eaten and replenished out water bottles, we set out for the bus stop and home. Ein Gedi was an amazing place, and I'm glad that I ended my travels throughout Israel

Schindler's Grave

Today, after four months here in Jerusalem, I finally made it to one of the places I had most wanted to go to when I arrived here: Oskar Schindler's grave. My friend Stacey and I left the student village, hopped on the light rail, and headed for the Old City. We entered through Jaffa Gate and then worked our way over to Zion Gate, which exits onto Mount Zion. The Christians have turned Mount Zion into a Christian enclave, with churches celebrating the Last Supper, Pentecost, and Mary's death, all of which occurred on Mount Zion (the Catholics also believe that Mary rose again after three days, but we won't get into that). Schindler is buried on Mount Zion in a little cemetery off of the road leading to Zion Gate. The entrance to the cemetery has a marker saying "To Oskar Schindler's Grave" above the doorway, so it was easy to find once we knew the general area. I have to say, I thought this cemetery would be better maintained, but when we went inside, we were met with tall grass, weeds, broken glass, and damaged masonry everywhere. Schindler's grave is down a couple flights of steps, overlooking the great views to the south of Jerusalem from the top of Mount Zion. In the movie "Schindler's List", the scene where the survivors gathered at his grave to pay their respects show his grave by itself, with plenty of room around it for people to walk around. In the years since the movie came out, however, new graves have been added, with the result that now Schindler's grave is one among many. It sits right next to the path though, so visitors can access it without difficulty. The grave itself is beautiful, and it pays tribute to the amazing man. A caption under his name in German tells the visitor that he saved 1200 Jews during the Holocaust. Those of us who have seen Schindler's List know the incredible story of a German industrialist who bought up Jewish factories at bargain prices, used Jews as his labor force, and through work permits saved many Jews from the gas chambers. Granted, when he started out, Schindler was in it for the money, using Jews as workers because they were cheaper than Poles. Over time, however, as the horrors of the Holocaust became clear, Schindler used Jews as his laborers to save their lives. He used his vast fortune to bribe Nazi officials, get Jews out of the death camps, expand his factories to hire more Jewish workers, and countless other initiatives that saved Jewish lives at a time when no one would help them. Liam Neeson played the role of Schindler brilliantly in the movie, and why he didn't win the Oscar for it is beyond me. Ever since seeing that movie in Dr. Hammerling's class last semester at Concordia and learning that Schindler was buried in Jerusalem, I have wanted to visit his grave and pay tribute to the man. Today, I finally got that chance. In Israel, people put rocks on graves as a memorial and tribute to the fallen. I got to put a rock on Schindler's grave today, and said a silent prayer thanking God for such an extraordinary man and for his extraordinary contribution to the Jewish people during the darkest chapter of their history.

Welcome to Jerusalem SLU

Tonight, I was blessed with the amazing opportunity to reconnect with my old friends at Student Leadership University, who are in the middle of their 401 trip to the Holy Land. Student Leadership University is a Christian group in the United States that teaches students the basics and foundation of moral leadership and gives them the tools to succeed in today's world. Their first trip, 101, is in Orlando, Florida. Their second trip, 201, is in Washington D.C. Their third trip, 301, is in London, Oxford, Paris, and Normandy. Their last trip, 401, is in Jordan and Israel. They have also expanded and now do a trip to Kenya and another one to China. I went through this program when I was in high school and it changed my life. The guys who run it, Dr. Jay Strack and Brent Crowe, became my youth pastors, as my church back home failed in this area. When I went on their 401 trip to Israel four years ago, my life was forever changed, and it proved to be the catalyst for my decision to come back to Jerusalem to study here for the semester. When I found out that they would be in Israel this week and that they were staying in a hotel literally down the hill from my apartment, I had to go and say hello. I had met with Dr. Jay for lunch last weekend, and he encouraged me to stop in and have dinner with the group once they got to Jerusalem. I went down to their hotel around six and met up with Brent, who was leading the group. We had a great conversation about how SLU changed my life, what my church was like growing up, how my time here in Israel has changed and impacted my life, and my perceptions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We then left his hotel room and went down to the dining room, where the rest of the group had just started dinner. He introduced me to some of the students and I ate dinner with them, talking with them about where they were from, how their trip was going, what they've learned so far, ect. After dinner, we retired to a conference room where Brent introduced me to the whole group, saying "Now this young man went through our program and now he's back here studying. He's not from the United States, he's from Minnesota, but I want you guys to listen to him anyway and mark well what he says." I then took the floor and said "Guys, let me be the first to welcome you to Jerusalem, the city of kings, the city of prophets, and the city of Christ Himself." I then proceeded to tell them my background and why I was here and how much SLU changed my life. As I went to sit down, Brent said "What he didn't tell you is that he's been studying the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, looking at both sides equally and fairly, and is now an expert on it. After our session, any of you who want to learn something, come on up to him and pick his brain." Brent then proceeded to give an excellent lecture on the necessity of having Jesus be the foundation of our lives, and the starting point for students of leadership. He preached on the story of Jesus and the woman at the well, and how Jesus turned a personal encounter into a life-changing experience. When he had concluded his talk and dismissed us, some of the students got up to leave, but many more, including most of the parents and a Baptist minister from Virginia, crowded around me and asked me to give them a crash course in "The Conflict". We pulled some chairs into a circle, and for the next hour and a half, I got to talk to these guys about the Middle East, the politics of the region, the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, the various people and religious groups making up both sides, the land and the territories, and so many more topics and issues. They asked countless questions, and I answered to the best of my ability. They were really interested in what I had to say, and at the end everyone thanked me and most said something along the lines of "I learned so much from you tonight." I was incredibly humbled by the opportunity to talk to my fellow Americans about these issues, and I was also humbled by Brent's introduction and his confidence in me. It was so great seeing my old group Student Leadership University, and it was awesome to be able to come back as an alumni and teach them what I've learned these last four months here in Jerusalem.

People

I have met some amazing people here over the last four months, too many to adequately describe and pay tribute to. However, I feel that I must take this moment to mention and pay tribute to several people I've met over the last few months, because they have all had huge impacts on my life here, and I have no doubt that we will remain close even after we all return home. First, I have to thank my fellow Cobber Evan. Coming to a new country thousands of miles away from home is a harrowing experience, and having friends with you that you already know and are familiar with is a huge blessing. Those first few weeks here back in February were tough, and I am extremely thankful that I knew Evan and could hang out with him while I found my feet and got acclimated. I will also always remember our hours long Game of Thrones discussions and debates as we waited for our classes to start. It was difficult for me to keep straight where you were in the series so as not to give anything away while also talking about the series at the same time, but it was a lot of fun. Next, I have to pay tribute to the people in my Bible Study. You all have been such great friends over the last few months, and we've had some awesome times. Keith, you're a brilliant Bible scholar and religion expert, and our debates over eschatology have been a lot of fun. You're one of the funniest guys I've ever met, and you can always make me laugh. Aron, you are also a brilliant Biblical scholar, and your interpretations of the text, telling us the context and the original Greek and Hebrew meanings, have really helped me learn the Word and grow as a Christian. I also have loved discussing Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones with you, it's awesome to know someone who's up to date so you don't have to worry about spoiling anything. Becca, you are a great leader and I have really enjoyed being a part of your Bible study this past semester. You are an awesome person, and I'm glad that you decided to take the risk and form this group way back in February. Stacey, I am so glad to have met you and discuss all the myriad subjects that we have discussed this past semester. You are so wise, and you have a way of explaining things that makes sense of complicated topics. Amanda, I have loved taking that Jerusalem class with you and also doing Bible study with you. Your observations on life are hilarious, and hanging out with you and Stacey in your guys's apartment over the past couple of weeks has been so much fun. Arielle, I have loved sitting next to you in Nazzal's class, laughing at the way he casually talks about all the famous people he knows, and saying "no big deal" after each story. Your insights during our discussions on the Old Testament have also been excellent, and I have learned a lot from them. Jaki, you make incredible fondue, and your insights during Bible study were also very thought provoking. I love you guys, and this semester has been amazing because of you. I loved our Yam de Yam trip, and the countless priceless moments that we had during those days, from Keith's camera miraculously being brought back to life, to the night where we just watched movies for hours, to our attempt at cooking a meal, to Becca's almost getting left behind every day because she needed "one more picture", to the guy who found the turtle. This semester has been full of such great memories, and I have no doubt that I will look back on it as one of the highlights of my life.