From DEATH To LIFE ETERNAL

Acrylic on canvas taken from Luke's depiction of the Crucifixion at Golgotha and the natural and spiritual events and significances surrounding it.

“My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Matthew 26:39

Facing the 'Golden Gate', the East Gate, where the Messiah will be entering into Jerusalem one day again, Yeshua was across in the Garden of Gethsemane praying for this burden to be taken from him, if there was ANY other way to save humanity from their sins... besides the cross.

To the right is the Catholic Church at Gethsemane with a painting on its facade that depicts Yeshua as he is praying to the Lord in the Garden. There are 3 disputed areas that could possibly be the actual area where Yeshua prayed from to the Lord. The Catholics, Russian Orthodox, and Protestants own each area.

Russian Orthodox Church at Gethsemane

Olive trees at Gethsemane

Obviously, there was no other way for humanity to be reconciled to God the Father in Heaven but through the sacrificial death of His Only unblemished lamb, His Son, Yeshua.

Golgotha is found above where it actually looks like there is an imprint of a skull on the rock.
Although Christian culture depicts the 3 crosses on the top of this rock, it is more accurate to have had crucifixions on the street by the roadway. This way the prisoners are better mocked and spat on. Today this is where the buses park.

At twilight, on Easter, we travelled around the Old City Jerusalem walls and blew the trumpets of praise at each gate. We were blessed to have been able to praise the Lord as Jews, non-believers and even Muslims slept and walked about. We found no issue with doing this at this hour because the Muslims take the liberty to sound their loudspeakers for their daily prayers, and it rings through the city. And especially at the East Gate, in celebration of our Messiah coming again!!!!

The last stop was the tomb (one of two in controversy) where Jesus was said to have been buried and arisen from. This is the garden found around Golgotha, which seems appropriate to be close enough for Joseph of Arimethea to have brought him from off the cross. Here is a rich man's tomb where Jesus most likely was buried after his death on the cross.

A few hundred people gathered here in Israel for this event. However, filling such a small garden, it represents the small amount of Christians that make up the Israeli Christian community.

As the scriptures were read it was truly a remembrance of the rising of our Lord.

           "Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying.    
As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb  and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot."


John 20: 10- 12


If Jesus never resurrected we'd be worshipping a dead, powerless human. 
Because he rose again, that was his sign to the world, that He IS the Son of God, and that HE alone CONQUERS DEATH and saves us from the Angel of Death.

At the base of Golgotha there are cracks that look like
 what would have been cause by an earthquake.

Matthew 28: 2
 "There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it."

This is the Sign He promised:
John 2: 19 -21 "Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise 
it again in three days.”
  They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, 
and you are going to raise it in three days?” 
But the temple He had spoken of was his body. 
After He was raised from the dead, His disciples recalled what He had said. 
Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.

And the Celebration continued all the day long in remembrance of our LORD YESHUA MESHIACH!
Who came as a humble servant, to be slain for our sins (Isaiah 53), only to RISE again and reign from Heaven until He comes again to Judge the Living and the Dead when Every Knee shall Bow and every Tongue Confess that Jesus Christ, Yeshua Meshiach, is LORD. (Isaiah 45:3)

View from our hotel balcony

Outside of our hotel New Imperial near Jaffa Gate, Old City, East Jerusalem.

There is a great Arab Christian Catholic Church in Israel. They were instituted after the crusaders by the Scots, hence the bagpipes and attire.  However, after speaking to one of them, they do not do much outreach in Israel. They set up the churches but don't proseletyze, "share the gospel", in the streets.

Calvary Chapel Jerusalem Worship team at Christ Church.
Left to right: Christine Search, Mia, Drew Grizzle, Jordan Faker, Jonathan 

CURRENT EVENTS

 Walls of GOLGOTHA with modern wall built above

 The Garden Tomb at Golgotha is a memorial to the place of Christ's death, but is also a ministry that shares the whole gospel to ALL WHO ENTER. It is amazing to hear that it was chosen by the Jewish state as Israel's favorite place. Recently thousands of Jews visited this place and after hearing the gospel, were interested and even had questions.
This is further evidence that Messianic Judaism is spreading and becoming more accepted in Israel.

PRAYER REQUEST FOR GOLGOTHA
Presently, Golgotha has been under attack by Muslim Authorities. All over Israel there is Muslim  oppression on the Jews and Christians. Above you can see that there is a modern wall built above the rocks of Golgotha. Basically, they are made too high and with no approval of legal requirements to build. The Muslims have built a "sacred" cemetery behind the wall that, in the case of an earthquake, could collapse, and potentially hurt someone in the garden. Because of this the Garden has taken them to court, but in contempt of court, the Muslims buried some bodies already which, according to Muslim law, decrees it as sacred, and can no longer be touched, dug into, and altered.
This causes a problem that even Jewish authorities are having a hard time facing the oppressiveness given by Muslims.
Please pray for outside support as Israel is needing to gain allies that can help balance the scales. Please pray for the King of JORDAN, as relations with this country are most probable and would be most helpful in this kind of situation and in the end times.