[Lessons from Israel] Part II: Our God is the Ancient of Days

While on the ten day trip to Israel, our tour group visited at least one “tel” (dig) per day — Magdala, Capernaum, Dan, Caesarea Philipee, Megiddo, Bet Shean, Qumram, Massada, to name a few.  We also studied the Temple Mount from every angle and learned its ancient history.  I’m sharing this information because this exposure burned into my brain that our God is ANCIENT.  The recorded activity in the lives of mankind dates back at least 4000 years, and the dwellings of men (Megiddo) go back at least 7000 years.  (For those of you who are archaeological enthusiasts please correct my dates.  Do we have physical evidence of the Garden of Eden?)America is so new; it’s a newborn infant in comparison with the ancient land of Israel.I collected some dates for your interest:  Abram was “called by God”  around 1900 B.C.  The Exodus occurred around 1450 B.C.  King David died and King Solomon built the Temple c. 950 B.C.  The Babylonian captivity took place  c. 500 B.C.  The Hellenistic empire lasted from 330 - 160 B.C, and the Hasmoneans dominated then until 63 B.C.  The Roman Empire took over in 63 B.C.   Under Roman rule, Jesus was born 1 A.D. and died 33 A.D.    The Second Temple was destroyed by the Romans 68 A.D.  During the Crusades, Islam conquered Jerusalem and built the Dome of the Rock on top of the Temple Mount in 1100 A.D. Finally, Israel became a State in 1948 A.D.What is the point of all this history?  When you are troubled by your life’s circumstances, the cultural upheavals going on around you, the evidence of corruption and decay in our society, please reflect on this FACT:God has established his ancient people and given us his ancient laws and poured an ancient and everlasting love on us for millennia.  You and I are teeny, tiny seeds in the garden of history.  You and I are but drops of water in all the oceans and lakes on this planet.BUT God loves you personally.  Remember, on a certain day in history, at a certain place on this planet, Jesus, the Creator of the Universe and the Ancient of Days, was born onto this earth FOR  YOU.  And he was crucified FOR YOU.  And he redeems YOU.  And LOVES YOU with an everlasting love, dating from the beginning of time to forever!!!.So sing with me from Ps. 24:9:  “Lift up your heads, O you gates; and be ye lift up, you ancient and everlasting doors, so that the King of Glory may come In.”“You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he.  Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me.  I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior.  I have revealed and saved and proclaimed — I, and not some foreign god among you.  You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “that I am God.  Yes, and from ancient days I am he. No one can deliver out of my hand.  When I act, who can reverse it?” Isaiah 43:10-13This photograph is of the archaeological tel of Bet She’an, dating back to 5000 B.C., a Canaanite City, one of the Decapolis in Israel.  The inhabitants worshipped at the “high place” and there is a 7000 seat amphitheater for use in entertaining the people.In Christ,