Rev Dr Quek Suan Yew

Sharing from the Promised Land

The last trip to the Promised Land for some of us was in December 2014. Today with eighty one pilgrims, by the grace and mercies of God we will traverse the length and breadth of the Land where Christ Jesus our Lord and Saviour walked some two thousand years ago. One of the primary differences is that the 2014 pilgrimage included Petra in Jordan – from Jordan we crossed the River Jordan into Israel. For this present pilgrimage, we shall visit only Israel, from 8 to 22 December. We departed from Singapore on 8 December at 6.00 pm. Israel time is six hours behind Singapore. Thank God we arrived safely in Tel Aviv on 9 December after nineteen hours with a three hour transit in Hong Kong. Most of the 81 pilgrims are first timers. By the time this elder’s page is read on 17 December 2017, more than half of the pilgrimage would be completed. Please continue to pray for our safety and a blessed time studying God’s Word in the Land of Promise and that every pilgrim will have a deeper personal walk with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Below is a brief sharing of some of the places we have visited and a personal testimony from Brian Lim.

The location of Peter’s restoration (cf. Jn 21)

The Restoration of Peter (cf. John 21) - This was supposed to be the spot where the Lord restored Peter to the ministry. Peter had denied knowing the Lord three times during the Lord’s trial and crucifixion. This was made worse when Peter boasted that he would not do so even if all the other disciples did. Peter was sorrowful and down cast. The Lord had already appeared after His resurrection seven times to His disciples but did not broach the subject of Peter’s transgression and restoration. Peter went back to the fishing trade as John 21:1-2 tell us; perhaps Peter felt that the Lord did not want him for service anymore. This sort of feeling is common in service. When we fail the Lord badly in times of service, a deep sense of foreboding and disappointment fill the soul and heart. Dejection and great disappointment envelope the mind and soul and it appears as if the very breath of life has been sucked out of the body. To fail and disappoint the Lord at the time when He needed Peter most was something unimaginable. Yet all things work out together for good to those who love Christ which was the case here. The Lord wanted to restore Peter, not destroy him and cast him aside. The Lord wanted to mould Peter and shape him to be more like Christ before he could be used for the glory of God and blessing of God's people. Peter needed to learn God confidence and get rid of self confidence. These two confidences are contradictory. Peter must learn that leaning on self confidence in his boasting of standing with Christ is weak and like vapour vanishes like the dew under the heat of persecution. However, confidence in Christ lasts a lifetime of service and will result in a more courageous and stronger witness for Christ. The Lord used the same night fishing experience of catching nothing to restore Peter just as He did when he called Peter into the ministry (cf. Luke 5:1-7).

This was how the Bible described the incident of Peter’s restoration, in John 21:3-14, “Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing. But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No. And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes. Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea. And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes. As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread. Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught. Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken. Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord. Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise. This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.” Peter as a seasoned fisherman knew how much the net could hold without breaking, 153 fishes. After this experience the Lord asked Peter three times if he loved Him.

Today this beach along the coast of the Sea of Galilee is called “the Primacy of Peter” when it should have been called “the Restoration of Peter”. The focus must never be man, not even the great Apostle Peter, but it has to be Jesus Christ all the time.

Capernaum – The town that rejected Jesus

Capernaum was one of the three cities condemned by the Lord when He walked on the earth and did many miracles in their midst. They turned their backs on Him and did not believe that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah. Matthew 11:20-24, “Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not: Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.” [Emphasis added] The condemnation of Jesus upon these three Galilean cities was pointed and dire. They had been given so much by Christ and yet they refused to believe. Tyre and Sidon were Gentile cites north of Mount Carmel which were not called the people of God and did not have the Word of God. However, if these two cities had seen the miracles that Jesus did and heard the preaching of Jesus, they would have believed. If Sodom with its sins of fornication and homosexuality which were destroyed by God had seen and heard what Jesus did in Capernaum, it too would not have been destroyed and would have remained till the day of Christ.

A church building has been built to commemorate the ministry of Jesus in the city of Capernaum. These dead stones should be replaced with living stones!

On the Sea of Galilee

Sea of Galilee -- We sailed in the Sea of Galilee twhere Christ sailed with His disciples and where He did His miracles of calming the storm and walked on the water and the apostle Peter followed suit.

Matthew 14:22-33, “And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.”

Sunrise service at Sea of Galilee

From the top of Hermon

Top of Mount Hermon -- Psalm 133:1-3, “A Song of degrees of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.”

Testimony of Brian Lim

Coming to the Holy Land has truly been a blessing. Although the land looks different from biblical times, there is still a sense of wonder that comes with knowing that the places we are visiting are the very places we read of in Scripture.

Traveling through the land of Israel is quite an experience, as we see how they take their identity as God’s chosen people very seriously. We landed in Tel Aviv on a Saturday, which is the Jewish Sabbath, and our coach met no resistance as it wound through empty streets. It seemed like there was almost nobody living there. This was a clear demonstration of how their culture has preserved a reverence for the Lord’s Day, and it made me wonder – do we, who claim to have the fullness of the Gospel, have the same level of vigilance when it comes to honouring the Sabbath day? Also, their reverence for their interpretation of the dietary laws is felt even today, as in Jewish establishments they do not serve dairy and meat together, and non-kosher dishes are entirely absent from Jewish establishments. The zeal they have for what they believe to be proper obedience to God’s commandments is evident in many facets of daily life, and it is humbling to observe.

In many ways, this is similar to the testimony that we, as Christians, are called to bear for our Lord Jesus. We may not have to observe dietary laws and a host of other commandments concerning our daily life, but we are called to be different from the world, much like the Jews were called to be different in their manner of life from the surrounding Gentile nations in biblical times. Seeing these practicing Jews makes me feel that I do not truly treasure the laws of God as much as I should.

However, another thing that struck me is the Jews’ continued refusal to believe that Jesus is the Messiah. Over the course of the next few days, we visited the ruins of Bethsaida, Capernaum and Chorazin, three cities that were condemned by Christ in Matthew 11:20-24 for their unbelief despite the miracles that Christ performed in them to show that He was indeed the Messiah. Today, nothing is left of these cities, and it is clear that God’s judgement has fallen upon them for their unbelief. However, the Jews still maintain that Jesus is not the Christ. Some of our Jewish tour guides are even capable of pointing out that these cities lie ruined because they have been judged for not believing in Jesus, while they themselves do not believe! More than anything, this has driven home the point that salvation is truly of the Lord, and that the saving faith we sometimes take for granted comes from God. Our ability to believe is not because we are more intelligent or perceptive. If not for the faith that God has given to us, we would be like the Jews living in the Holy Land today – surrounded by so much proof, and yet still unwilling to believe, just as some of their ancestors refused to believe Jesus despite the miracles He performed.

It has also been a blessing to be able to experience some of the things mentioned in biblical times. We sailed on the Sea of Galilee, where Christ once walked on water, and also enabled Peter to do the same. It has given me a greater appreciation for the faith that Peter had, even though Christ termed it ‘little faith’, because even in the relatively calm weather conditions we had I would have been loathed to leave the boat. Seeing and experiencing some of the conditions that the saints of old had to deal with has helped me understand certain portions of Scripture more, and given me a better sense of the challenges and difficulties they faced just going about their daily lives.

God-willing, the trip will continue to be a blessed one, with many more lessons waiting to be learnt.