Heaven Bound

We left the vineyards for another day of touring and this time we traveled to the ancient site of Shiloh, where the Tabernacle stood. This was in many ways my favorite tour although we had yet to visit Jerusalem.

Shiloh (pronounced, “shee-lo) is a modern city/settlement established in 1978 in Samaria. Besides being where the Tabernacle stood, Shiloh was also, the former religious capital of Israel 300 years prior to the temple in Jerusalem. So, it is a very ancient site.

I had read about the Tabernacle as recorded in Joshua all of my life but, became especially excited about it after watching Ray Vander Laan’s video on the same subject from his series “That the World May Know“.  In fact, I remember at the end of that particular video our entire Bible study group just falling in to a kind of hushed silence, so moved by the greatness of God and what he had done at Shiloh that we were at a loss for words.

When we arrived at Shiloh, we were greeted by former Mayor, author, analyst and commentator David Rubin, who addressed our group from the Shiloh Synagogue, which, is built, as you can see in the photo below in a style that replicates the Tabernacle itself.

It’s a beautiful building with polished wood fixtures and stained glass windows on which all of the twelve tribes are depicted.  There Mr. Rubin (author of “The Islamic Tsunami – Israel and America in the Age of Obama“) gave us a warm welcome and a brief history of Shiloh from Biblical times until the present.

After he finished speaking, we were graciously given the opportunity to tour the school for children founded specifically for the education and healing of children whose lives have been touched by terrorism. And, there were many.  In one room, children read from their lesson books in Hebrew to us. In another, we were treated to music – one of the women from our group joining in on her own violin after being invited.  And, most interesting and sobering of all – the room, where traumatized children can go for assistance with deep-seated emotional stress as the result of losing a family member to the horrors of terror.

On finishing the tour of the school, we traveled a short distance to the ancient site, where the excavation process is still under way today.   In a beautiful garden like setting is a visitor center and gift shop complete with picnic tables where lunch or treats from the gift shop can be enjoyed.  Our group was giddy with delight at being able to purchase ice cream, candy and  soda – something, we had not had in almost two weeks.  As for me, I emerged from the gift shop with a packet of note cards and an ice-cold Coca Cola – the only drink out side the lukewarm tap water in my water bottle, I had had since first arriving in Israel. And, oh boy, did it taste good!

A short walk from the visitors center is a two-story round building over looking the archaeological site. Inside is a theatre that holds approximately 50 -75 people with windows that turn in to a movie screen once the lights are dimmed.  There the story of the Tabernacle (and the 12 tribes) is re-enacted in living color.  The perfect introduction to what just minutes later, we would see for ourselves ….

….. the historical and important …… Tabernacle at Shiloh!

God’s instruction to Moses –

“Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them. Make this tabernacle and its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you.”  Exodus 25: 8-9

*For those of you who have not yet seen the Ray Vander Laan series or his video on the Tabernacle, I will leave you with this preview as a teaser. It starts out about Egypt, but, that’s just the beginning of one of the most interesting and moving teaching on the subject that I have ever heard. If you can procure a copy of the video, I know you will be blessed!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QW7F4ZjB6IU

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, they shall prosper, who love thee:  Psalm 122:6

Watching and waiting with YOU for the soon return of Jesus! Cindy