Fortress Watchman

The Land of Israel has always been a dangerous place. There are always thieves and killers who survive off of the decent people. Of course, for most of history there are many different invaders trying to rule the land. For many years Israel has been known as the land of walls. You can see walls of all styles and descriptions. Simply studying the walls can carry a person back through all of man’s history. During the 11^th and 12^th centuries, many Europeans came on crusades to the land of Israel. They all built great fortresses so that they could sleep at night. The very style of their building can tell you which country the builders were from. (French, English, etc.) Several of these great structures are still standing and we can see how the soldiers lived years ago. Some even have the original mote surrounding them.

Usually there are about four watch-towers to be manned all the time. Most fortresses were built on top of a hill. This gave the watchman a great view of the land. When you climb one of these towers today the view is usually breathtaking.  In the old days if a watchman fell asleep he was put to death. The lives inside the fort were all his responsibility. Many times a fortress would pass from one group to the next depending on who was ruling at the time. Because of modern warfare the forts are no longer used. In fact, the Bible said this so long ago that the people probably thought the prophecy was crazy. You will say, I will invade a land of un-walled villages; I will attack a peaceful and unsuspecting people---all of them living without walls and without gates and bars. Ezekiel 38:11 It does not say it here but obviously there are no serious watchmen looking out for the people.

Our scriptures tell us that each of us is a watchman because we know the Gospel message.  7 “Son of man, I have appointed you as a watchman for the people …. Listen to what I say, and warn them for me. 8 … I say to a wicked person, ‘You wicked person, you will certainly die,' and you say nothing to warn him to change his ways. That wicked person will die because of his sin, and I will hold you responsible for his death. 9 But if you warn a wicked person to turn from his ways and he doesn't turn from them, then he will die because of his sin. However, you will save yourself. Ezek 33:7-9 Not until the Lord takes us away from this world our responsibility will be over. Some people say that these are Old Testament passages and they do not apply today. However, we are told that O.T. Scriptures are the patterns revealing what God wants for us all. Are we really serious about our belief in God?

More Than Once

God told Abraham nearly four thousand years ago that He was going to give the land of Israel to his descendants. The fact is that Israel has been returned to the Jews over and over again. Maybe it is the Devil's persistence but all through history some nation has been trying to make the land of Israel into their possession. Out of the whole wide world, this small piece of land was reserved by God to be known as the center of the earth where His presence is greatest. This is a story of one of the thousands of times God has returned some of the land to His people. There is a five mile stretch of beach on the Mediterranean coast that runs from Tel Aviv to the hill of Joppa. About the middle of this beach is a small building containing the history of the return of Joppa to Israel in 1948. Upon entering you will be greeted by a man who was given the mission during 1948. He will explain what happened just like it was yesterday.

After Israel declared themselves to be a Nation in 1948, as authorized by the United Nations, the Arabs who lived on the hill of Joppa began to rain shells down upon the city of Tel Aviv. This indiscriminate killing in the Jewish neighborhoods had to be stopped. The leaders selected a young man twenty years old to lead 300 men against the hill of Joppa. This young man led his fighters against the hill time after time believing God would give them the victory. After three days, 100 of his men were dead and he had made no progress. Because he had not slept in three days he fell onto a cot totally exhausted and discouraged. God sent a vision as he slept and showed a certain street to him that went straight to the top of the hill. On one side of the street were dwellings built one against the other, all the way to the top of the hill.

 He saw himself and some of his men breaking holes in the walls all the way to the top. He jumped from the cot and ordered his men to attack the hill one last time. He and his chosen few went un-noticed as they worked their way through the houses to the top and surprised the Arabs. The Arabs immediately surrendered and the hill of Joppa belongs to Israel until this day. This is how God returned Joppa to the Jews in 1948. The history of Israel is about the Jews failing their position with the Almighty and then the Lord returning them to His land to start again. God uses Israel as a lesson for all believers. If you have failed God in some way then you must repent and God will show you a way to return to your Christian life. Your godly life is the land God has given you to occupy and enjoy.

School of Elijah

Haifa has the only major harbor in the land of Israel. The city is absolutely beautiful because it is on a neck of land that protrudes out into the Mediterranean. This peninsula is the end of a mountain range that causes the horseshoe shaped city to always have a steep climb at its back. Mount Carmel is very famous in the Scriptures and it runs parallel to the south side of the Jezreel valley and ends in the middle of Haifa. It seems unusual to find a dirt trail in the city that meanders up a hill through the trees and brush. After climbing halfway up the hill and rounding a corner you come face to face with a chiseled rock doorway. No one would ever know it was there if the trail were not so well used. This is the entry into the School of Elijah. Young men who wanted to serve God had to be trained in the Scriptures.

Upon entering the doorway there is suddenly a large rectangular room that has all the chisel marks that were made thousands of years ago. Because Elijah lived near the top of the mountain he must have climbed down the hill to teach the truth to his young prophets. The room/cave would not hold more than 50 people. It is interesting that when Elijah was called to leave this world there were fifty prophets following him to watch. 2 Kings chapter 2 records that after watching him disappear the 50 men spent three days looking for this great spiritual teacher that they loved. This man had an amazing life as a servant of God but the ungodly king and people hated him and what he represented. If God had not protected him many times he would have been killed. God protects every servant of His.

One feature of the cave is very clever. Above the door and across the exterior face of this rock cliff is a six inch gutter to collect rain water. The water runs into a holding tank (cistern) to be used when ever needed. Hard work went into chiseling this wonderful water system. Is it possible that God put His words into Elijah as a well of truth for the people to draw from as needed. One time Elijah ran away from his work and told God he was the only one on earth left alive that loved the Almighty. ( 1 Kings 19:10) Of Course, the Lord did what he usually does when one of His servants gives up. He gives them another job to do! Today when you visit this cave a Jewish person will usually greet you outside the door to welcome you to the school of Elijah. What a wonderful way to remember the work of a servant of God.

Trees of God

It is an amazing walk from the little town of Bethany around the bottom of the Mount of Olives and up to the Temple. Although it is less than two miles you experience the feelings of a lifetime, as if Jesus were walking the dusty road with you. It is possible that the greatest events in history are part of this small road. Jesus walked part of this road when he entered Jerusalem to die for the sins of the world. Someday Jesus will return to stand on the Mt. of Olives and look across this road at the Temple Mount. This little road is there today if you want to walk on it. One of the very impressive things you notice along this road are the different trees at various places. It seems that God has preserved them. One olive tree beside this road is nearly two thousand years old and is an offspring of the original tree that Jesus sat under. This road used to pass through the Garden of Gethsemane which has many olive trees.

Josephus recorded that when the Romans attacked Jerusalem in 70 A.D. they cut down every tree in this valley. But in time the trees returned by coming up from the roots that were still in the ground. The same olive trees are now in the garden where Jesus prayed so many times beside this dusty road. The city was under siege for two years and the Romans did not want the Jews sneaking in or out. Eventually the city fell from hunger and the Romans tried to remove all traces of the Jewish civilization including the Temple. If you continue walking along the road toward Bethany there is a large group of fig trees along the creek down in the valley below. We know that one tree is missing today because Jesus cursed it and it died. As they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. Mark 11:20 Jesus would have climbed down from the road to the tree but upon arrival He found nothing on the tree.

Some other interesting trees are in Bethany. The front yard of the house where Jesus stayed with his friend Lazarus is full of trees. (See John 11 and 12) Sometimes Jesus taught parables referring to the tiny mustard seeds that are in little pods all over the ground in this yard. He said the kingdom of God was like, a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air perched in its branches. Luke 13:19 Even today you can sit in the front yard of Lazarus under the mustard trees and listen to the many birds singing their songs. Many years ago the beautiful tree of life was removed from the earth because of our sinful ways. But the eternal kingdom of God is growing on the earth and it will not be long until we are removed from the earth to live forever with that tree of life.

Somehow God’s trees have returned to Israel after years of barrenness. We know that Israel itself is returning so that all the end time prophecies can be fulfilled. God has the power to restore anything. Do you need restoration of your spiritual life? Repent and ask God for help.

I Did It

God has always had this problem with His children. Usually when He does miracles on earth somebody will take the credit for themselves. This seems to be a habit that has been with us for a long time. The Lord has many ways to deal with this problem and we are told about one of His ways in the Old Testament. 5 That is why I revealed to you what would happen long ago. I told you about them before they happened. {I did this} so you couldn't say, “My gods have done these things. My carved idols and my metal idols have commanded them to happen.” 6 You've heard these words. Now look at all this. Won't you admit it? Isaiah 48:5 If you go to Israel today and interview the older people they will tell you that they are the ones who rebuilt the Nation. If you point out that God had everything recorded that he would do thousands of years ago they just stare at you. They are saying this because they have no real faith in God.

There is one place where Israel honors God on a huge rock in the middle of the city square. It is in a town that Israel never possessed before 1948. The word of the Lord is against you, Canaan, the land of the Philistines: “I will destroy you so that no one will be living there.” 6 The seacoast will become pastureland with meadows for shepherds and fenced-off places for sheep. 7 The coast will belong to the faithful few from the nation of Judah. There they will graze their sheep. In the evening they will lie down in the houses of Ashkelon. The Lord their God will take care of them and will restore their fortunes. Zeph 2:5-7 Ashkelon is a thriving Jewish city today and this passage is chiseled in the rock for all to see. Visitors can walk among the ruins of the old Philistine City and see their pillars and walls lying on the ground. There is no trace of the Philistine people today because God destroyed them.

Jewish people usually say that they have rebuilt Israel without God. Are we any different when we talk about building our lives? Many times we will minister to others by asking for God to help us but when it is all over we humbly take the credit. The truth is that if the Lord does not give us another breath we cannot exist to do anything. We must never take credit for the life God has given to us.  In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.1 Thes 5:18 A person of real faith will say “thank you” for every single thing in their life. This will be honoring God and gives Him proper credit. In fact this is the definition of a life of faith. We should look to God every moment of every day.