Abe-Newsletter Beit Avraham museum 5

Yad Vashem (including God's promises)

Mind: click on picture to enlarge!

Israel National symbol: The Menorah

Hello dear wife Marisha, children, friends.
I like to look back and share with you about the period in Yad Hashmona, Israel.

First I thank our God, Abba for ALL, His Grace, Shalom with so many impressions, teachings, encouters, revelations, joy, and caring.

All was/is like the PIECES of a Jigsaw-puzzle.(in my mind, heart)

1. Fellowship with brothers/sisters in Christ Jesus.(encouragement, acceptance, patience), and the encounters with orthodox Judes.

2. Celebration of 2 of the 3 feasts: Pesach and Shavuot, and their biblical understanding.

3. Messianic praise, and services. (Grace, joyfull, freedom; foundational O.T. preachings)

4. Historical value of the biblical facts. (God's promises for Aliyah; resistance in the world)

5. Archeological escavation with fellow christian scientists at biblical Ai .

6. Impressions in Israel: Yad Hashmona, Jerusalem, Yad Vashem, Haifa, Dead sea, Mnt. Gerizim, and Ai.

7. Growth of knowledge beside the bible: O.T.(Thanach);

Books:

"Where is the Body in Israel?" by Victor Schlatter.

"Homecoming, our return to Biblical roots" by Chuck and Karen Cohen.

"How would you recognize the Messiah?" by David M. Levy.

"The prophets speak from the Holy scriptures" by Leena Arthur.

"Bible Prophecy" by Mark Hitchcock.

"De geheimen van de Offers" by H.G. Koekkoek.

"Abraham, historical biography" by David Rosenberg.

All together not yet worked out in my heart, but I believe at least one blessed AIM was gained in my heart:

*More LOVE for God's BELOVED people: Israel.

(not because of their acting, but from their IDENTITY in God's prospective!)

From the very promise to Abraham and to his seed.

The Gospel did not start only with the New Testament, but started with the promises, and prophecies in the Old Testament (Hebrew THANACH).

Now I understand WHY I started with Beit Avraham(in natural: the restoration of the museum).......with the AIM.....to build this solid foundation in my heart: "God will keep His promises given to Abraham, and his seed: Israel, and God's children out of the gentiles.

God's promises to:

Abram:Genesis 12:2 "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."

Abraham: Genesis:17:5 "No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations.
6 I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you.
7 I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.
Galatians 3:16 The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say "and to seeds", meaning many people, but "and to your seed", meaning one person, who is Christ.

Galatians 3:29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

After the full number of the Gentiles(God's children) ALL Israel will be saved!!!

Romans 11:25 "I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
27 And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins."
28 As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies on your account; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, 29 for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.

Psalm 122

A song of ascents. Of David.

1  I rejoiced with those who said to me, "Let us go to the house of the LORD."
2 Our feet are standing in your gates, O Jerusalem.
3 Jerusalem is built like a city that is closely compacted together.
4 That is where the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, to praise the name of the LORD according to the statute given to Israel.
5 There the thrones for judgment stand, the thrones of the house of David.
6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May those who love you be secure".
7 May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels." 
8 For the sake of my brothers and friends, I will say, "Peace be within you."
9 For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your prosperity.


Shabbat Shalom to you ALL.

Abe de Jong.

Abe-Newsletter Biblical Garden 4

                                   MIND: Click on pictures to ENLARGE!

Spring in Israel 2009

 

Israel: Shalom

Dear Marina, my wife, children and friends.

I hope you ALL, are doing well all! Thank God.

This time (after almost a month with many happenings!)

Just for your information about Yad Hashmona, Beit Avraham I recommend the sites about both (in the 1e Newsletter) for better understanding!

So .. Yad Hashmona: was a kibbuts! (this ment all income money was shared by all like in Acts.)
At this moment it is called a moshav(more individual activities on 1 hill top/village)

Now after more then 35 years a lot has been changed.....: 2/3e generation, the unity in ALL faded away in different directions...(more people to care of became somehow: family interest...different vision/mission how to work out!

During this turmoil after 30 years the biblical garden was started(2002)

See pictures with Bible quotations from: (all promises of God the Lord for His people):

1. Jeremia 29:4-7 (Entrance biblical garden)

2. Amos 9:13,14 (Biblical foundation)

3. Joel 2:13 (Heart condition)

4. Ezekiel 36: 24-28. (Ritual bath)

5. Micah 4:12 (Threshing floor)

6. Jeremiah 11:16 (Thriving olive tree)

7. Isaiah 5:7 (Vineyard of the Lord: house of Israel)

At the start in march 2009 a new management was installed about the futur of the Biblical garden(while Will Setz was already appointed as the supervisor over the whole Biblical garden (Beit Avraham museum includes)

At that moment the position and place of Will Setz, and Beit Avraham museum became very incertain, so Will decided to quit in the negociations at 3-4-2009 to finish. (let's pray for him and the board of Yad Hashmona)

From that time we work directly under Yad Hashmona.
The conditions are the same..so no worries, just the aim is a bit adjusted!

After almost 1.5 month I can see (very roughly, sorry)

The mindset in Israel: "EASY does it....( I like it, thank God, no Western attitude of perfectionism, works to earn heaven!), ....but lack of keeping promises (I do not like at all!!, although I had my mistakes too in this... (halleluja and forgiven by God's grace)

I like to show you more about the springtime in Israel.....

Living in the Netherlands I know about God's creation after winter:

many...thousends....more Tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, lilly of the valleys, etc you may know "De keukenhof" every year to visit!

Being here in Israel (700m, 40km from the Mediterranean Sea, I am still wondered, looking at so many different flowers..even tulips! (originates from here....whooow!)

Beside the flowers so many herbs(by God's creation) are present to be used in this time of changing weather (cold/warm)

Many of the present volunteers had/have nose/troath problems.....

God supplies in His way, we just need the knowledge to use them, and honour our Father God to carry the fruit of healing!

In this beautiful springtime we celebrated Pesach (eastern) during 7 days without food made with yeast! So our bread was: MATZES (going back to the Exodus from Egypt: NO time to make normal bread).

Today (29 april) we celebrate Yom A' atzmaut (Day of in-dependency) since may 1948. (61 years)

Mind: "Day of Dependency" as an answer on God's prophesies in bible!

Spring without bee-activity cannot BE! in Israel. (just click to hear/see)

Shalom. greetings, blessings to you ALL!

For more info about Yad Hashmona: http://www.yad8.com/; http://www.bibleplaces.com/

abe de Jong.

Abe-Newsletter Beit Avraham museum 3

Dead sea Salt, and balls

Overwhelming meal, Engedi

Mind: CLICK on the picture to ENLARGE!

Engedi beach 2009

Filip, ..........Sonya, Julia, Anita, Marianne, Janna, Gladys

Hello dear “ following” friends.

The 1e active working week (16-23 march) we had to break down the birdcages and animal stable.

In the beginning we started with a sharp screwdriver/hammer to remove the nails, but this would become a real “monks work” (thousends) to improve our patience and endurance, GREAT)
After half an hour of being tested we had a really bright idea…..why not to try it with a electrical grinding machine to cut all the wire and gauze?! And so we did and were able to remove all with the wooden parts in one day.
The next day all volunteers were rewarded by a tour to the Dead sea, the oasis En Gedi(you may read in bible..David and Saul!) and a visit to a very nice beach named En Boqeq (south at the Dead sea). We were with 12 people 7 youngsters, 3 oldies 60-72 (4 German , 1 Swiss, 1 Finland, 1 Columbia, 1 from Denmark, and 3 from Netherlands)
The volunteers work in hospitality/house keeping, carpentry, and the 3 Dutchies in the Beit Avraham project.
We drove by bus that day along Jerusalem towards Jericho eastwards and felt directly the more warm region coming near the Dead sea. Driving from +700m. on the hill Yad Hashmona, and Jerusalem we went down to -400m. below sea-level(most deep place on earth!!
The temperature was there +22° C. all the time sunny so better to watch not to be burned. Along Jericho we met along the road nomads(Berbers) with their sheep and goats.(All with mobile phones, but no running water and television sets. (see picture)
Along the Dead sea road we first came along the place Qumran were the “Dead sea scrolls” were found, and later we saw Ibexes (ram/deer with long bended horns), date palm trees and agricultural activities…

In En Gedi we had a nice sun and swim for a few hours.(see picture)

Swimming is not really possible, because it is harmfull if salty(30%) water enters your eyes(dehydration!), but really nice warm and healthy for the skin. I wanted, on request of Marina, to collect some salt....and was very lucky to find a large piece of cristal salt!(picture)

We had here also our lunch with a cold/warm buffet.....VERY TASTY!

Pitty, but many of us did not like to enter the water here because of rocky stones so we drove more south to the most south part of the Dead sea (En Boqeq just almost across the place of former Sodom/Gomorra).

Here we were able via a nice sandy beach to go into the water....and discovered on the bottom small and larger salty-cristalic marbles (1.0-3.0 cm.) We collected some of them for home, and left after a few hours back home......bit burned, but satisfied!(picture)

The next day wednesday we prepared the wooden vertical poles (cutted partly) to break down the roof (profiled metal plates), which were connected to wooden poles and decorated with palm branches underneath and on top.(3.25 m. high and not reliable to step on)

So the roof was pulled down easily, but landed quit close to us....(thank God we left a strong tree, which secured us against the sliding roof plates).

Afterwards we wondered about the small pigeons, which were in their nests under the roof, because we could hear them before, and now we did not find them on the bottom?

On thursday we continued very well taking apart the roof construction.

In the evening we had our weekly evening gathering with the volunteers to sing and praise followed by the lifestory of one of the volunteers, which was very blessed.

In between I checked the dryingmachine(did not work for a long time), and the waschingmachine.

Every friday-afternoon we do have a kosher brunch(only milk), and after sunset an other kosher meal with meat(together with praise in Hebrew and breaking the bread with salt)

Henk and Riet Kreeft went for a weekend to Will Setz in Jerusalem.

On saturday we celebrate Shabbath together with all people on the Yad Hashmona community.

On sunday I went to Jerusalem to visit Christ Church (150 years in OLD Jerusalem),and met a few very nice people(student, and professor) and had interesting conversations about faith and Bible.(with professor at his lecture about Genesis: 6 days creation and 15 triljoen years with dinosaurus)

So a quit encouraging week....for me at least!

Shalom, and toda raba(thanks a lot) for being here.

Abe de Jong.

Abe-Newsletter Beit Avraham museum 2

Israel Springtime 2009.

Hello dear wife, children, and friends.

Did'nt you hear/see about some plane problem since 11 march 2009!

Thank God, Shalom Shabbat we (Henk/Riet Kreeft, me) had a safe yourney through customs at Schiphol, and an easy flight to Tel-Aviv, Ben Gurion airport.
There we tried to get a "shierut" taxi to Jerusalem, but it took 1.5h to get into the taxi(we were 3, and they wanted a full(12) one! They promised all the time we will go...but, OK!!!
So we arrived at about 21.30h in Yad Hashmona 25km east from Tel Aviv.(direction Jerusalem)
We were kindly guided to our very nice rooms in the volunteer area.
The next day(12 march) we had a MAGNIFICENT breakfast.(whooow), and we were awaited by Liat (volunteerguidance at Yad Hashmona) and Will Setz(coordinator Beit Avraham museum); after some paperwork we were invited to go to Will's home in Jerusalem, and to do some shoppings.
We felt really blessed to be again in Jerusalem, Israel....thank God to help in His way.
On Friday(13 march) we talked a lot about Beit Avraham museum build up (after break down something)
Eli (boardmember at Yad Hashmona) shared his vision with us to build the Beit (house) in a really historical way/scenery. WE talked for many hours, which was needed as a good foundation for teambuilding and understanding eachother, and the possibilities.
As you know friday evening at 17.00h the Sabbath starts....so we just did some practical work looking foreward to Sabbath (day off, and Sunday too)
During these 2 days we walked in the area to admire the Springtime in the Judean Hills (Ps. 121)
Early in the morning on Saturday (0.300h) I awoke, because I heared a “Dutch” noice….RAINING? Ken!!( Yes in Hebrew)
Really revelation after MANY prayers and blowing the Shofar, hallelujah.
Shabbath is also celebrated by Christians….so we did together at the dinnertime.
This saterday-evening we(volunteers) were invited by a group from Dubai, who stayed at Yad Hashmona) to join the service with Messianic believers in Jerusalem. (singing in Hebrew with English translation)
On Sunday the rain started again together with fog……+15 Celsius! (Dutch weather!)
The temperatures in the night drop to + 7 C. so we need sometimes to warm the room!(electric)
Tomorrow we will start with cleaning up the future Beit Avraham!
Shalom, be well.
Toda(thanks) for reading.

Abe.

Abe-Newsletter Beit Avraham museum 1

Hello all, this is the 1e Newsletter.

To serve as volunteer at Yad Hashmona to rebuild the Beit Avraham (House of Abraham).

It is now sunday 8 march 2009 3 days before leave to Israel. MIND: CLICK on picture!

To volunteer in Israel awoke in me in november 2008.

In 2008 I was a so-called "alpha-help" in home caring in Zwolle during 3 months. I learned a lot about people in physically, and psycological NEED. I thought maybe I could go again to Israel (was at Jemima, Bethlehem in 1997)

So I contacted Chris Steenwinkel of H.I.P. (Het Israel Project) http://www.hetisraelproject.nl/and we met personally to talk over: what kind of work, where? (helping in old-people houses, hospitals, drug addicted homes, and also possible technical work "around the house")

According my caring-/technical skills, which I performed during the past 9 years after my "pension" time.(1999-2008).

Chris Steenwinkel came up in januari 2009 with the proposal to help build-up the museum "Beit Avraham" http://lifeinbibletimes.com/index.html near Jerusalem(14km west) on the moshav ( like kibbutz) Yad Hashmona; http://www.yad8.com/; http://www.bibleplaces.com/yadhashmonah.htm

Yad Hashmona is very near to Kirjat Jearim. http://www.goisrael.com/Tourism_Eng/Tourist+Information/Christian+Themes/Details/Kiryat+Yearim+++chr.htm

On above mentioned websites you are able to look more closely!

So, we (Henk/Riet Kreeft and me, Abe de Jong) will leave on wednesday 11 march 2009 at 13.20h to Israel for about 3 months.....

In the coming time we will share more.....

We would like you could pray for us!

Thanks, and SHALOM.

abe.