Through an empty Tomb
Recently, a group from our church was privileged to go to Israel. I had the wonderful privilege of taking my 16 year old son with me. I think that there will be more to come from that, but for the meantime it was just a great time to spend with him.
The day we went to the Western Wall to pray, I was standing with my face against the wall, praying. I was praying to God that I felt I was there at that wall, not only in my body, but spiritually. My calling is standing at that wall, waiting, I know that He has called me, I know that I am waiting , ready to obey what He commands, but I also know that there have been no words of direction. So, I stand with my face to the wall, waiting.
While I was standing there, I had a vision (I guess I’m getting old) I saw the western wall dissolve and I could see the Holy of Holys on the other side. I was surprised, I was moved, I didn’t move away from that wall for some time. Later we were in the Shorashim shop, owned by our friends Moshe and Dov Kempinski. they have some truely unique and beautiful, biblical artwork, There was a painting there that showed what I saw, the wall dissolving away and the Holy of Holies on the other side.
I didn’t quite know what to say to that, other than what better place is there to be, than with your face to a place that God said, The God of Heaven not just some god, but the God!) that He would ALWAYS hear prayer in that place. It’s not such a terrible place to be stuck, in fact I think it’s a wonderful place to be. the more I think about it, I don’t mind being there, I wonder what God might have for me, but right now, I know, that if I will jsut pray, humble myself and pray, God will hear my prayers. my face is to that wall where He will ALWAYS hear prayers!
I left that day in wonder, and I’m in deeper wander each and every day, the next day we got up early and went on the via delarosa, the way of suffering, we went to the garden tomb, I don’t know if it is THE place where Jesus died and was buried, but I’ll tell you God gave us a taste of world-wide revival!
We were listenign to our guide, a group from Brazil was over my left shoulder they were in a time of praise and worship, and the Holy Spirit was moving in their singing and praise, it works in me now! Off to my right, there was a group that I think was from Italy, a young lady got up to testify, and the power of the grace and mercy of God that was flowing through her words made me want to shout, it almost makes me want to shout now!
Another group form somewhere, korea maybe, was in the garden also, they were praising and worshiping and blowing shofars and God was in their praise. After our guide finished we started singing, praises to God, then Brett Berry, started to sing, “The Old Rugged Cross”, in the Garden tomb, not 30 feet from the empty tomb. Most of us had our eyes closed singing, but I started to hear other voices I looked up, there were brazillians, italians, koreans, and others all stanindg with us, singing in their own languages, the words to the Old Rugged Cross. There was oneness even though we didn’t understand the words, we were in unity, in oneness, it was such a taste of World-wide revival! Wow.
About that time, I had more of my vision, I realized that I was looking not jsut through the wall, but through the tomb as well, my way into the Holy of Holies is through the empty tomb!
I didn’t know what all that meant, and I still don’t but I got some more of it just this weekend at church. I realized that Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, adn the life, no man enters unto the Father but by me.” I have known for all my adult life, that I was crucified with Christ (I learned later in life that I don’t, adn shouldn’t be crucified with him daily, it’s already finished, I was buried in him, and then raised in his likeness in the resurection of life. That resurection is what allows me to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, into the very throne room of God, the very heart of the Holy of Holies. I am not in the tomb, I am alive in Him, (as long as I stay in Christ) my carnality was buried in Him and did not rise, I dont’ drag it with me, it goes to nohing when I leave it in the tomb. My life is full of joy and unspeakable riches when I simply remain in Him.
That is how my entry to the Holy of Holies is through the empty tomb, it’s how I can go into the Father, knowing that I’m nto worthy, but that my King died in my place so that I might go to the Father. I go to the Father, not to beg or plead, not to bring petitions (there are times for those prayers) I go to praise Him, to love Him, to adore Him. I go to proclaim to Him the great and mighty works of His son, the Lord Jesus who died in my place, that I might come to the Father. I can lift my face to the Almighty God of heaven and smaile into His eyes of love and mercy, not because I’m equal to the task, not because I’m capable, but because my King died in my place, because He said that if he be lifted up he would draw all men to him and as a result I can look at my father, the God of glory, the creator of the universe the make and master of All and know that He loves me! Not because I’m worthy, but because the blood of the lamb that was slain makes me loveable. It washes all sin from me and allows me to felloship with him on a level more closely attuned to the way God intended to commune with Adam.
Praise God!
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