To Chephirah...

I went on a hike last night with some friends from Moody Bible Institute. We set out to have a view of Chephirah, a biblical site that is in hiking distance from Kiriath Jearim (near where I am living) at least it looks like it in the student map manual (SMM). This city was one of the three cities of the Gibeonites who fooled Joshua and Israel into believing that they were from a distant country (Josh 9:17). It was also later given to the tribe of Benjamin as part of their inheritance in the land (Josh 18:26). It ended up getting too dark and too far to walk in the dark. We found out that all of Israel goes on walks on erev shabbat (evening of the sabbath day)--not really everyone but it seemed like it.

So...we turned around and found another place to make a fire with a good view of the shephelah and Tel Aviv in the distance. It was a great to spend time with other believers just singing praise choruses and hymns.

"...and the waters of the sea become fresh"

Not a news flash. The quote concerning the Dead Sea (Yam HaMelach) comes from Ezekiel's prophecy of the millenial kingdom. The Dead Sea, the lowest point on Earth, is receding rapidly. Due to the irragation diversion of its source, the Jordan River, and natural evaporation of the existing water in the sea, the water level of the sea drops steadily, leaving an accumulation of minerals. The density of the water contributes to the name of the sea. Nothing lives in the Dead Sea but this some day will change. Ezekiel describes the sea in Ezekiel 47:8-10:

"Then he said to me, 'These waters go out toward the eastern region and go down into the Arabah; then they go toward the sea, being made to flow into the sea, and the waters of the sea become fresh. It will come about that every living creature which swarms in every place where the river goes, will live. And there will be very many fish, for these waters go there and the others become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes. And it will come about that fishermen will stand beside it; from Engedi to Eneglaim there will be a place for the spreading of nets. Their fish will be according to their kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea, very many.'"

I was able to take a trip to the Dead Sea with a group from Hebrew University last Friday. We left at 2:30 (that's right b'boker, "in the morning") to be able to be at Masada by sunrise. The day was a lot of fun and I learned a lot from the tour guide that I didn't know before about Masada. He described how Herod the Great designed the cisterns (water storage rooms) surrounding Masada to fill up naturally from the run off of wadis (dry river beds) that receive huge amounts of water when it rains even miles away. For those of you at Master's, you might think about the wash near north campus. This wash is a river even days after the rain has stopped at school because the water from the nearby mountains drains through this wash. Herod used this system to feed cisterns in the middle of the desert so that Masada had enough water to sustain life upon the rock for years, even to sustain crops growing upon the summit.

Back Home...

Here is another update from my dad on my mom's recovery:

"Good news, mom was released from the hospital Sunday afternoon. She is still uncomfortable from the surgery but glad to be home. Next week we will take her back to the hospital to have the metal staples removed. We thank God for his faithfulness during this trial. We are so blessed and are rejoicing in His goodness."

Prayer Update

I wanted to send a quick update on how my mom was doing. I thought it might just be best to copy the last email from my Dad.

"Hi Joshua,
We pray that you are well and enjoying your studies in Israel. I am sorry that I have not written sooner but I have been spending most of my time at the hospital with Mom. Mom is doing okay. She had the surgery on Wednesday as planned. She was in surgery for 4 1/2 hours which was longer that they expected but the tumor was a lot larger than they had thought. It was about the size of a small orange. They were able to take it all out but it required taking out the whole right lobe of the liver. She is in a lot of pain but was well enough yesterday to be moved out of ICU into a regular room. We thank God for all that he has done in sustaining her during this time. He has provided a very gifted doctor and wonderful nurses to care for her. Her nurse yesterday was a Christian so we thank God for the fellowship that we had with her has she provided care for Mom. God is so good!!

Well, I am off again to the hospital to spend the day with Mom. Thanks for all your prayers and all those that have joined us in praying for Mom. It has been a real blessing for us.

Keep safe,I love you,Dad"

Thank you for your prayers for my mom. If anyone would like to visit, send a card of encouragment or give a call, you can email me and I give you more information. I know that just knowing that you are praying is a huge encouragment to my mom and dad because they tell me often.

Update on My Mom's Condition

I wanted to send an update on my mom and ask for continued prayer. After hearing that the known tumors could not be found any longer, we were told that the cancer had spread to the liver. My parents have been meeting with specialists and surgeons for almost two months to discuss the next action to take. I am attaching part of their recent email to me so you can pray.

"We missed your calls today (Friday) because we were at Sunset Kaiser doing pre-op stuff. On Wednesday I have to have surgery on my liver. The CT scan showed the tumor could not be dealt with safely with the RFA procedure so I am having to do the full liver surgery after all. It will be major surgery so will be in the hospital for 5 days. Dad will write you and let you know how things went. I have the best of the best of surgeons but still pray for him and his team."

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality. (Romans 12:10-13)

Am I Safe?

I think the question is always relative when you are living here. There is great potential for harm...but that could be said in parts of Los Angeles in which many of you who are reading are within the proximity of a half hours drive. I can say that as far as my surroundings, nothing has changed over the last couple weeks. I am living on a moshav (community) about 10 miles west of Jerusalem which is just far enough to seem like the most peaceful place on earth with the sun setting slowly over the Judean hill country and shephelah with no sounds of bombs exploding or anything like this.



However, the news of the North does provide much tension in the minds of people in Jerusalem (where I am attending class). On Sunday, we had a special briefing to speak to the issue of how the conflict in the North relates to the operation of the school and if we need to start thinking about alternate plans. A journalist, and former Israeli general, came to give some internal perspective on the operation. In his mind, Jerusalem is one of the safest places on earth right now--We laughed at this outrageous statement--he asserted that he believed Hezbollah would never dream to target Jerusalem. So this is kind of a mixed answer to the question at the heading.

Right now the region of Israel affected by the conflict is still about 3 hours North of where I am. Here is a picture to get a better idea of what this looks like. Where I am is marked by the green dot. The red dots mark those areas that have seen damage from Ketyushah rockets.



Psalm 122:6-8 may have special application at this time: "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: 'May they prosper who love you. May peace be within your walls, And prosperity within your palaces.' For the sake of my brothers and my friends, I will now say, 'May peace be within you.'"

“O sun, stand still at Gibeon, And O moon in the valley of Aijalon.”

On thursday (yom hamishi), I went on a camping trip with Todd Bolen and his boys (Luke and Mark). Three young boys (about the same age as Todd's boys) came with us. Their father died earlier this year. It was a blessing for me to spend some time talking with and learning from Todd and to see his example of one who practices pure religion (James 1:27) in ministering to a widow by taking her boys camping. We actually set up camp on Tell Aijalon. We arrived just a few hours before dawn so we quickly set up camp and cooked some hot dogs. We climbed up to the top of the tell and got a good view of the valley. There were some caves in a nearby hill so we hiked up to them to check them out (not very exciting up close though).



When we returned to camp, we read the biblical account of the battle that occurred in the place at which we were looking.

So the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon, gathered together and went up, they with all their armies, and camped by Gibeon and fought against it.
  Then the men of Gibeon sent word to Joshua to the camp at Gilgal, saying, “Do not abandon your servants; come up to us quickly and save us and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites that live in the hill country have assembled against us.” So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him and all the valiant warriors. The LORD said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands; not one of them shall stand before you.” So Joshua came upon them suddenly by marching all night from Gilgal. And the LORD confounded them before Israel, and He slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and pursued them by the way of the ascent of Beth-horon and struck them as far as Azekah and Makkedah. As they fled from before Israel, while they were at the descent of Beth-horon, the LORD threw large stones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died; there were more who died from the hailstones than those whom the sons of Israel killed with the sword. Then Joshua spoke to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel,
“O sun, stand still at Gibeon,
And O moon in the valley of Aijalon.”
So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped,Until the nation avenged themselves of their enemies. Is it not written in the book of Jashar? And the sun stopped in the middle of the sky and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day. There was no day like that before it or after it, when the LORD listened to the voice of a man; for the LORD fought for Israel. Then Joshua and all Israel with him returned to the camp to Gilgal. (Joshua 10:5-15)

I was impacted by the implications of the account. Israel's relationship with Gibeon was the result of trickery. The Gibeonites were among the Canaanite people whom God had commanded Israel to kill because of their wickedness. Gibeon, knowing of Israel's desimation of Egypt, the nations in transjordan, and the defeat of Jericho and Ai, was afraid. They sent a delegation to Joshua, with moldy bread and worn out sandals. They claimed that they had come from a long distance. Without consulting the LORD, Joshua made a treaty with these people not to harm them. But they had tricked him and put Joshua in a situation of disobedience because he could not now destroy them as God had commanded.

Consider the news coming to Joshua...that five Canaanite kingdoms are going to destroy Gibeon. I think there is something significant for us in Joshua's response, something I think that is significant for the college student particularly. It would have been easy for Joshua to think, "Well, I'm glad that worked out after all. I made a bad but if I ignore this news, everything will be back to normal." This was not Joshua's response. He woke his men, marched all night, defeated the armies and saved Gibeon. Why? Because, he had made a commitment to protect Gibeon, even though it meant that by keeping his commitment he would experience loss (Gibeon's existence preserved the results of Joshua's disobedience).

Many times this is the nature of commitment. There is a trade off. By saying yes to one thing, you give up all other options. Perhaps, this is one of the great emerging follies of the college student in America (and I am speaking from the perspective of the Christian community). Why give a "yes" or "no" answer when you can give a "maybe." Then you can evaluate all options on the basis of what is best for self. What will be most advantageous for self? What will provide the most enjoyment and cancel out most discomfort? The situation may vary...a dinner, an outreach vbs, a visitation ministry, an evangelistic outing, a winter camp. Spontaneity is praised at the expense of biblical virtues of trustworthiness, humility, and love. There is more at stake than spoiling plans. I believe character is at stake.

Ani B'Yisrael Acshav! (I am now in Israel!)

I have been in Israel for just over a week now. I am attending an ulpan (Hebrew Language program) through the Rothberg International School of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. We began class on Sunday (in Israel the assembly of believers meets on Saturday mornings). Class is about 5-6 hours a day and about an hour of homework so far each day and a test at the end of each week.

I have been to the Old City 3 times so far since I have been here. But actually, coming back to the moshav is a highlight of my day. I am staying at Moshav Yad HaShmonah for the first month of my stay here. This is the community where the IBEX campus is located and where I lived for 4 months as a 19 year old college student at the Master's College. It is so much more peaceful than being in the city. This is true for many reasons. First, it is located somewhat remotely from the beaen path. Just off highway 1 (the highway from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem) but not traveled by unless you are headed there or the small Arab village adjacent to it--So, no noisy traffic and such. It is located in the Judean Hill Country with great views to the coast (on a clear day) and rocky tree-filled hills surrounding it. Additionally, the moshav is unique as being one of the few communities began and sustained by believers in Yeshua as the Messiah. I think this is one of the biggest parts of the peace here...being with others who know the Prince of Peace Himself.

I'll end this post with sharing some pictures:

I take the bus to and from school every day.

Hebrew University is located on Mount Scopus, just north of the Mount of Olives. This picture was taken from New Gate (an entrance into the Old City of Jerusalem on the North side).

There are some great views of the city from Mt. Scopus.

After Croatia...

Our team completed our in-country ministry to Croatia almost two weeks ago. The Lord blessed our time together, with the missionaries and Croatian nationals. This year I didn't travel back to the states with the team. It was kind of strange saying goodbye to my teamates as they left for the airport. I had been preparing myself for this but it was still strange.
Instead I am traveling on to Israel for a 3 month intensive Hebrew language study program and then returning to Croatia for about another 3 months of ministry. The harvest certainly is plentiful in the country but the workers are even fewer. The population of this Eastern European country is estimated at 4.5 million people among whom only about 1,000 are believers. That is about .0002% of the population. Many of the 1000 believers are still so young in their faith and understanding of the Scriptures.

This provokes me to pray and to want to serve there..."for the love of Christ compels us" (2 Cor 5), believing that their will be Croatians singing "Dostojan ti svi" (worhy are You) in that heavenly scene (Rev 5:9).