From the ends of the earth, I traveled to the land of Israel to soak up the sights and collect holy dust on my sandaled feet. Four of us, two friends and my auntie, trekked all over Jerusalem, several times over. We bounced in taxis over the mountains and through the desert; we ate in places and shopped in markets American women may have never set foot in—near Bethlehem and Bethany. We saw the Nazareth Village and I took about 200 pictures there alone. The Lord favored us so much. It had been fifteen years, and the writing of three books on the life of Jesus, since my last time to the Beautiful Land. On this trip, so much happened in my relationship with the Lord, I will never be the same.
Before my trip, two mountains in Israel were drawing me to come to them. One was the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem; the other was the Mount of Beatitudes, beside the Sea of Galilee. I had imagined standing on the Mount of Olives with heart, hands, and face lifted to Heaven in earnest prayer. My desire was to beg the Father to send Jesus, that the world and His Bride might have Him very soon! I wanted to cry there, and to imagine Jesus coming. I would look at the blocked Eastern Gate and pray for His return. (Stone hearts blocked the way, making a rather literal statement, to keep Him out! But even this was prophesied to happen.) I determined ahead of time to pray earnestly for Jerusalem, for the Church, for the world—and I imagine the Mount of Olives splitting in two as His feet touched the place from where He’d ascended 2,000 years ago.
And, so, God favored us and gave us the desire of our hearts. Oh, that majestic ridge called the Mount of Olives—such a holy place to see. Jerusalem is a “thin place” between Heaven and Earth. He has His eye on it at all times. He’s waiting for His Bride to be ready, to want Him, to BE a bride. So, I wanted to pray there for all of us who long for Him. We lingered at a place just below the Golden Gate and fixed our eyes on the Mount of Olives, while the sun shone brightly on it in the late afternoon. Then, from the other side, the next day, while at the foot of the Mount near the Garden of Gethsemane, we saw the Gate and prayed for His return.
We gazed. We imagined. We prayed, and we sang. How sweet to sing the new “Revelation Song” by Phillips, Craig, and Dean there to King Jesus. Even while we sang, with eyes on the Eastern Gate, overhead, circling in the sky, we saw a Police blimp—keeping a close eye on things going on below. We were in the middle of a political, religious “situation” going on at that time. We were safe, but we felt the tension in Jerusalem. We wondered at the large number of police and soldiers stationed at road blocks at the Lion’s Gate across from us. There was an incident going on at the Temple Mount – zealous Jewish men protesting at the mosque for possession of the Temple Mount for their Temple. Yes, yes, we are waiting for that too, Lord, to fulfill Scripture, so that You will come soon. If we pay attention, perhaps we will realize the signs of the times . . . and realize you will answer our prayers soon. What a privilege. We felt the need for Jesus in Jerusalem—the people have no answers for how to improve their lives in such an impossible place to find peace right now, the City is broken and needs Jesus to come and bring His peace, His reign.
Oh, glory, to gaze at the Mount of Olives, to ride in a car up and down, along the same route Jesus walked—it almost felt sacrilegious to me, but we are old!! And the mount is steep and it is real. Being there, though, feels surreal, it’s so amazing. But it filled our eyes and hearts with the reality of our greatest Hope. So much happened on that Mountain, the place where Jesus taught the disciples about the Last Days, where He wept for His people, where He came gently riding on a donkey, ready to give His life as the Lamb of God. This mountain, to me, holds the bittersweet reality of God’s willingness and intention to make all things right for the world. It was on this Mountain that the Shekinah glory finally departed from the Temple, long before Jesus’ time. It was from this Mountain that the resurrected Lord departed—and it is to this mountain He will return.
The Mount of Beatitudes. What is it about this place that makes it so peaceful, beautiful, and holy? It is in the “backyard” of Capernaum, where Jesus lived during much of His public ministry. It has a gentle slope, and is more like a huge hill than a mountain—a foothill surrounded by mountains. It is a beautiful ridge that climbs steadily up from the Sea of Galilee. And, what a beautiful view one has from up there—a view Jesus must have enjoyed often. I believe this was where He went for solitude and to teach His disciples, away from the crowds. He didn’t let them come all the way up the mount, only His disciples did that. He prayed there all night once and the next day chose the Twelve, then went down to the people and healed them and taught them all day long. This is where He began to reveal the heart of God and the ways of His Kingdom. From this Mount, He blessed His men and sent them out two by two. Later, the resurrected Lord met them on this Mount and He commissioned them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
I’ve pondered why Jesus said He wanted to meet with His disciples up in the Galilee after His resurrection. It seemed important to Him. He said it before He died. The angels told the women in the empty sepulcher to tell his disciples, “He will go to Galilee and they will see Him there.” Then, immediately after, Jesus appears to the women and tells them Himself, repeating it, “Go, and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.” Jesus really wanted them to go there!
But, think of this: It took them a week to travel up to the Galilee from Jerusalem, not an easy trek; and another week to get back. They were still in Jerusalem eight days after the crucifixion and they were back in Jerusalem ten days before the feast. How much time did they actually have in Galilee? Isn’t that a bit strange? To travel so far for only a few days? Why would Jesus ask this of them? It is rigorous and far. Why did Jesus insist they meet Him up there, most likely on that Mount? He appeared to 500 people at once there.
Maybe it is because of His love for the place. Perhaps He wanted to, again, pray for them there and commission them from there like He had done before. It has the earmarks of something God would do—He is sentimental about places and anniversaries and the like.
I contemplated these things about the Mount of Beatitudes before my trip because of my new book. Actually, just when it was time to leave, I was just starting the chapter, “The Mountain of the Lord,” about this very topic—Jesus telling them to meet Him in the Galilee, and they are anticipating what it will be like with Jesus again on the Mountain. What a coincidence.
Besides that, I didn’t realize just how close to the Mount our guest house would be to that Mount. Pilgerhaus is in the flat area of land, near the water, at the foot of the Mount. It is a place called Tabgha, where Jesus fed the multitude. A view of the Mountain was over my left shoulder while I prayed beside the seashore. One hot afternoon, while I was praying there, the Lord said, “Come up to the mountain now. It is time.”
We lingered up there for over a couple of hours, and Jesus blessed me and commissioned me—like He might have done to His disciples—I have His words written down in my prayer journal. He revealed that I had found His favorite place on earth – and that at this place He had dreamed of the days we live in – the days of His revelation. What I understood that to mean, is that the “corporate” Bride (the true Church) is “getting it” –finally, we know Him, we love Him, and the Lord Jesus is being revealed on Earth like never before. This will usher in His return.
So, the two mountains symbolize that Jesus is coming soon! And I am a part of the Last Days Ministry in His name. We are His Beloved Bride; He wants to commission us to do the works of the Kingdom. He wants to set us all on fire. It is all about His love.
The other day I attended a wedding. A male singer, while playing his guitar, sang beautiful lyrics, “I will go to the ends of the earth to make you feel my love.” I heard the words, smiled to myself, and silently prayed, “Lord, I have done that.” (my going to Israel.)
Jesus answered at once, “And I will go to the ends of the Universe to make you feel my love—and I have.” What a wonder it is to know Him and experience such glory even here on earth. I pray that God will grant each of you a Mountaintop experience in your relationship with Him. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Act like His bride. He is coming soon!