12 holy days in november 2010

8/8/2019 12 Holy Days in November 2010

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Amazing place, amazing grace!

By: Anjji Gabriel

It seemed like an ordinary out-of-the country trip for Lyn and me as we waited for almost 3 hours in thedeparture area to get to our Manila-Jordan via Dubai flight. We were part of a group of 20 participants in aGlimpse of Holy Land tour that was organized and led by Pastor Nomer Bernardino. The eight- hour flightfrom Manila to Dubai was uneventful. Between taking short naps and watching movies on the plane, wearrived at Dubai International Airport. There were some moments of anxieties as we searched and lookedfor the gate for our connecting flight to Jordan. Dubai airport was huge and sprawling. It reminded me of Hong Kong International and Schipol (in Amsterdam) airports. The 3 hours layover went unnoticed as thecall for boarding our connecting flight to Jordan began. In no time, we were in Amman, Jordan, waiting for

our tour guide. After identifying our luggage the porters boarded them on the bus that took us to our firststop, Mt. Nebo. A very amiable, Greek tour guide, named Catherine (or Katya), introduced us to Jordan, itshistory, government, etc. as well as to the sites we plan to visit there.

At Mt. Nebo, where God gave Moses a view of the Promised Land, we experienced how it would have beenlike for Moses as he saw the Promised Land. We spent some time studying the last chapter of Deuteronomy where the story of God’s giving Moses a vision of the Promised Land and honouring him withGod’s presence and faithfulness to His chosen people. Pastor Nomer facilitated this session and invited usto share our thoughts and ideas about our Mt. Nebo experience.

For me the thought of seeing the world as God sees it and how I can help in redeeming it for His glorybecame a physical reality being atop Mt. Nebo. It was a vision, an experience to be with God and to beassured of His faithfulness to His promise that He will be with us wherever we go.



I began to realize that there is nothing ordinary in this tour.

We checked in at Beit Zaman Hotel where we found needed rest for the next day’s journey. We checkedout early in the morning for the tour of Petra before we proceeded to Dead Sea in the afternoon.

Petra, a historic and archaeological tourist site in Jordan, was truly amazing! I overheard one of theparticipants in our group commenting, “kahit Petra lang sulit na ang tour ”(seeing this wondrous place,Petra, is already worth our trip to Jordan), after seeing Petra.

I came across a poem, titled Petra, written by John William Burgon which describes the place as follows:

“ It seems no work of Man's creative hand,by labour wrought as wavering fancy planned;

But from the rock as if by magic grown,eternal, silent, beautiful, alone!

Not virgin-white like that old Doric shrine,where erst Athena held her rites divine;

Not saintly-grey, like many a minster fane,that crowns the hill and consecrates the plain;

But rose-red as if the blush of dawn,that first beheld them were not yet withdrawn;

The hues of youth upon a brow of woe,

which Man deemed old two thousand years ago,match me such marvel save in Eastern clime,

a rose-red city half as old as time. ”

The words in this poem reflected how I felt seeing this wonderful place. I kept muttering the word,“amazing” as I walk the gorge and the surrounding colourful rocks that is “no work of Man’s creative hand”but designed by God himself. Realizing and knowing that such beauty and we ourselves are His creation, Ifelt amazing!

A long drive took us to the lowest part of the earth, the Dead Sea where we stayed overnight in a resort

hotel. We arrived there early afternoon that allowed us a floating experience on the Dead Sea with abeautiful sunset as a background. This beautiful sight and experience seemed to remind me that God iswatching us (His children) as we enjoyed the salty waters of the Dead Sea. The enjoyment meant floating



on the salty waters and not tasting its saltiness. Although some of us experienced tasting it too! I madesure that I gathered enough stones from the beach as a reminder of how we enjoyed God’s creation, andfor me to always remember that God’s world is truly wonderful.

The third day began with the visit to Jerash ruins. It is known for the ruins of the Greco-Roman city of Gerasa, also referred to as Antioch on the Golden River. It is considered one of the most important andbest preserved Roman cities in the Near East. It was a city of the Decapolis.

From this experience I had an understanding of the words, “the glory that was Greece and the grandeur

that was Rome”. I imagined the chariots as they raced to the hippodrome which was one of the morepreserved sites there. Learning from our guide that an earthquake destroyed this once wondrous place,reminded me of God’s power and sovereignty.

We had lunch in a restaurant nearby and then traveled to cross the Jordan-Israel border, Jordan ValleyCrossing. After a few anxious moments waiting for our bus to get to the Israel border, we queued to clear the immigration requirements in the Israel border.

As soon as we are cleared by immigration and set foot on Israel, I wanted to kiss the ground (felt sorry later that I did not do so!) and shout Yes, Yes, Yes for God. This is Holy Land!

I also noticed how the staff in the immigration area looked very different from the features of the people Isaw in Jordan. They looked like they are much kinder and accommodating. They seemed to be veryvigilant and kept a watchful eye on the people queuing at the immigration counters. I thought to myself that



this was how we should live as followers and disciples of Christ, watchful, vigilant and ready to serve othersfor His glory.

A Jewish tour guide, Ronny Simon, welcomed us as we rode the bus that would take us to Maagan Hotelwhich is right beside the Sea of Galilee. The guide briefed us about the story of Israel on our way to thehotel. As I listened to his stories about Israel that he sprinkled with verses from the Scriptures, I began tounderstand and see for myself how God has blessed this land and why it is aptly called Holy Land.

We checked in mid-afternoon at the hotel and had an opportunity to wade in the waters of the Sea of Galilee. It was really a lake and not a sea. I learned from our guide that this body of water serves as thereservoir for the water requirements of Israel.

On day 4, our first stop was Caesarea Philippi, specifically, the foot of Mt. Hermon. It was in this region

where Peter confessed that Jesus is Christ, the Son of the living God in response to Jesus’ question to him,“But what about you? Who do say I am?” Pastor Nomer led a study of the verses in chapter 16 of the bookof Matthew where this story was written. I learned four truths about our faith that it should be personal,confessional, revelatory and steadfast. This was the lesson from Peter’s confession of his faith in Jesus.

We headed for lunch at a restaurant where we had St. Peter’s fish as the main course. Maybe it wasintended to help us remember the lesson of Peter’s confession of his faith in Jesus?

After lunch, we took a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee and visited the Mount of Beatitudes and Capernaum.The day was capped by a visit to Jordan River. We recommitted our love affair with Jesus and our decisionto be His followers as we got baptized in that river where Jesus himself was baptized by John the Baptist.



The fifth day was a very special day for Lyn and me as we went to Cana. It was in a wedding feast on thisplace where Jesus performed his first miracle by turning water into wine. It became the place too where weand another couple, Pastor Rizal Asuncion and his wife, Lilian, renewed our wedding vows. Pastor Nomer officiated the renewal of our wedding vows as he retold the miracle story and shared the important lessonsof that story. I was overwhelmed by how God blessed and sustained our lives as husband and wife andparents to our wonderful children in the last 26 years. Like the psalmist, I asked, “what is man that you aremindful of him, the son of man, that you care for him?”

I wonder how the wedding feast celebration in Cana would have been like if Jesus were not there? It wouldhave been very embarrassing for the bridegroom had the wine run out on that day. Would their wedded lifebe fruitful and lasting? But we know how that story ended. Jesus ordered the servants to fill the jars withwater and to draw their cups from the jar and take them to the banquet master. The water had been turned

into wine. The banquet master praised the bridegroom for bringing out the best wine at the latter part of thecelebration when others would have served them at the beginning. He saved the best for last. Jesusobeyed her mother, the servants obeyed Jesus and the miracle happened. This miracle was a lesson onobedience and faitfulness.

When we invite Jesus into our lives and put Him at the center of our relationships, we will always findoccasions and circumstances worthy of thanksgiving and celebration. The water that was turned into winewas the miracle in the wedding feast in Cana. The presence of God in our lives and our relationships is themiracle of a lifetime!

From Cana, we proceeded to the Church of Annunciation in Nazareth. Outside and inside the church werepaintings of angel Gabriel announcing to Mary that she will be with child and give birth to a son, and to givehim the name, Jesus. The paintings were donated to this church by different countries. I saw thePhilippine version of annunciation where Mary was clad in a native Maria Clara dress. All the paintings



depicted the messenger (angel) and the medium (Mary) in various sizes and in the context of the countriesthey came from. But more than the messenger and the medium in the paintings, I saw (in my mind’s eyes)angel Gabriel’s message which is really what the Annunciation was all about:

“He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of hisfather David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever: his kingdom will never end.” Luke 1:32-33

Our next stop was a synagogue church also in Nazareth. We also visited Tel Megiddo and CaesareaMaritima which are both historical sites and tourist attractions in Israel.

In Mount Carmel, we spent time recalling the story of Elijah’s denouncing foreign cults and defeating theprophets of Baal in a contest on this mountain. In doing so, he lived up to the meaning of his name,Yahweh is God, and demonstrated that only the God of Israel is Lord and entitled to divinity.

I remembered one of our children whose name Anna Carmela included the root word “carmel” when our tour guide explained that “carmel” meant God’s vineyard or it refers to a place of beauty. Anna Carmela,like the rest her siblings, Angel, Lemuel and Samuel, are truly God’s gift to us. Did you notice the word “el ”in their names which means God?

On day 6 we visited the Temple Mount, Western Wall (or Wailing Wall as it is more popularly called), theTemple Institute, Yad Vashem Museum (all in Jerusalem), and the church of Nativity in Bethlehem.



The oldest existing Islamic monument, the Dome of the Rock is located on Temple Mount, previously thesite of the Temple of Jerusalem. The rock over which it is built is sacred to both Muslims and Jews. InIslam, Muhammad is believed to have ascended into heaven from the site. In Judaism it is the site (knownas Mt. Moriah) where Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac.

The Western Wall is the remnant of the retaining wall that underlay the second Temple in Jerusalem. Our tour guide explained that this wall was nearest to the Holy of Holies which is the sanctuary inside thetabernacle in the Temple of Jerusalem (before it was destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D.), in which the Arkof the Covenant was kept. Up to this time the Jews visit and worship in this place every Sabbath day.

In the Temple Institute we were briefed about the priests, altar, Menorah, showbread table, ark of theCovenant, etc. and their significance to the Jewish beliefs and traditions.

Yad Vashem museum is the memorial for the victims of the Holocaust. I choked and was on the verge of tears as I listened to our tour guide as he passionately explained why the museum was built, i.e. thatpeople will not forget what happened at the Holocaust.

The church of Nativity in Bethlehem is believed to be the site where Mary gave birth to Jesus.

On the seventh day we went to the Mount of Olives/Garden of Gethsemane, pool of Bethesda, walked theVia Dolorosa, visited the Church of the Holy Sepulchre believed to be the place where Jesus was crucified,and had communion at the Garden Tomb, the place where Jesus was buried and believed to be JosephArimathea’s property.



As we celebrated communion, we were reminded of our covenant relationship with Jesus and itssignificance such as thanksgiving, consecration (through the forgiveness of our sins), and participation. On

this day we worshipped God with all of our senses. We took the bread and the wine (juice), tasted andtouched it, thought about Jesus’ death on the cross for our sins (remembered), and hoped that He willcome again as He promised. Amazing grace!

On the eight day we visited Qumran, Masada and Timnah Park (Eilat). A Messianic Jewish lady welcomedus in Timnah Park where the model of the tabernacle and its contents were showcased. She explained tous the importance of the tabernacle and their contents and blessed us as she prayed for all of us.

I learned from her that the rending of the veil in the temple of Holy of Holies when Jesus died on the crosswas a symbol of the Father’s mourning the death of His only begotten Son. The Jews tore their garmentsas a sign of grief.

On day nine, we prepared to cross the Taba Border Crossing on our way to Egypt. We visited Eilat MarinePark in the morning before we crossed the border. We were wowed by the colorful beauty of the corals andvariety of fishes of the Mediterranean Sea. I heard the psalmist words rang true once again:

“You made him ruler over all the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of theseas. O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” Psalm 8: 6 – 9.

A grueling eight hour trip in the middle of the Sinai dessert took us to Cairo. We crossed a tunnel that theEgyptian tour guide explained as the shortest travel time ever between two continents (Asia and Africa). Ittook us less than 2 minutes to cross the two continents. I learned later that this was the Ahmed Hamdi

tunnel which connects the Asian Sinai Peninsula to the town of Suez on the African mainland. How far could we be in South Africa, I thought to myself.



We checked in at Oasis Hotel in Cairo, rested and got ready for the 10th day of our journey.

Visits to the pyramids of Giza, Egypt Museum, Papyrus Institute and a perfume factory capped by a dinner cruise along the Nile River were the highlights of the 10th day.

Day 11 began with a thanksgiving and worship celebration in a Franciscan chapel before we visited OldCairo, specifically, Abu Serga church which was built on the site where the holy family rested when theyfled to Egypt to save the child Jesus from King Herod’s order to kill the infants in their area.

Some free time allowed us to visit a cotton factory before we proceeded to Cairo International Airport tocatch our flight to Dubai and then to Manila.

The 12th day for us began in an almost eight-hour past midnight flight that would bring us back to Manila.The plane safely touched down at NAIA on its second attempt at past 4 p.m.

And so our 12 holy days in November came to an end. Why were these days holy? Because weworshipped God every day during that period. Pastor Nomer taught us the truth about the holy places wevisited, we had fellowship as we shared stories and dined together, we praised God as we prayed and sangsongs for Him, our day always began with prayer for safety and protection for all of us, for our tour guidesand drivers and for our family in the Philippines, and we had communion with Him and His chosen people.

We will keep on praising and worshipping God for His faithfulness. He was with us wherever we went inJordan, Israel and Egypt. These are amazing places where His grace and travelling mercies sustained allof us. And when I thought back that we traveled by air almost 24 hours, by land everyday during the tour,

and by water along the Sea of Galilee and river Nile and God kept us safe throughout and wowed us by thebeauty of His creations, I will always praise and worship our God who is really gracious beyond our expectations. He is good and loving and truly amazing.

Amazing grace!

12 holy days in november 2010

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