O Jerusalem, Jerusalem

April 23, 2012

My heart is heavy. My soul cries out, “What about beloved Yisrael? Have You, O Lord, forgotten her?”

“But He says she is safe. He tells all those who love her to cry out. Those who mourned on her behalf, those who shed their tears, God has lent us His ears.”

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, hear Yeshua cry, ‘How I’ve longed to gather you to me.’ O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Messiah wept for you.”

Jerusalem, the Lord has set watchmen on Your walls, that shall never hold their peace until God makes you a praise in the earth.

For Zion’s sake, I will not keep silent! For Zion’s sake, I will not hold my peace ! For Zion’s sake, for Jerusalem, I will not rest.

I will not rest.

O Lord, how can you forget your children?

You said You never would, asked rhetorically, “Can a mother forget her baby as it feeds at the breast?”

No, she cannot, so why do the hearts in Israel stay like stone? O Lord, will You not rescue them?

I wrote these words back in April, just over five months ago. As I flipped through my journal, searching out my journey over the past few months, I spotted this one. And my heart melted once more.

“No, [a mother cannot forget her baby], so why do the hearts in Israel stay like stone?” I cried. Now, five months later, I have an answer.

In my class Physical Settings of the Bible, we’ve talked a little about what the lay of the land does to a people and their culture. There is a direct correlation. The land of Israel is harsh at times. I’m living in an area that is surrounded on one side by the Wilderness – barren land that is good only for grazing – and on the other with rugged hills and the aggressively eroding Sorek Valley. If you live here, you have to have survival skills. I heard Israel compared to a cactus – prickly on the outside, and then nice once you get to know them.

Jerusalem itself is located, geologically, in an area where the rock is this beautiful, hard limestone called Cenonian. The whole city is built out of this white stone. It is beautiful, and is quite stunning to look at, especially during the day.

“Why do the hearts in Israel stay like stone?” It is because they live among stones. They need the stone to survive, but it has carried through into their hearts, and has taken away their flesh hearts, and the possibility of gaining them back.

“O Lord, will You not rescue them?” I asked. I failed to remember that Adonai is jealous for his people. He will chase Israel down in the wilderness, when she has nothing to fall back on, and bring her back.

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who stone the prophets and turn away those I sent. How I longed to gather you, like a mother hen gathers her chicks,” Yeshua spoke softly as he looked over Jerusalem. “But you were not willing.”

A few weeks ago, I stood on the top of the Mount of Olives, looking over the hill of Old Jerusalem and where the ancient City of David was. The Dome of the Rock glittered in the morning sunshine. We were in a less-populated area, so the view was clear. I sat on top of a waist-high wall, legs hanging over the side, leaned back, and examined the City.

And wept.

The emotions that surely surged through Yeshua as he stood on the Mountain surged through me, and I held tears back. Yeshua wept over the city. And, thinking of that, I wept myself. The Temple was right in front of me - the Dome of the Rock beautiful in the light. Beautiful and sad. This people had no idea their long-awaited Mashi'yach had arrived. They are still lost. The thought is desperate. Their hearts cry for rescue, but they do not see where to turn. They do not know where to look. It broke my heart, standing there that day.

O, Jerusalem. The beloved city. Yeshua’s bride

There have been plenty other things I've learned by experience here. This is just one of them. Hope to have more up soon.