Experience the Happily Ever After

When the Lord brought back
the captives of Zion,
we were like men who
dreamed.
Our mouths were filled with
laughter,
our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the
nations,
“The Lord has done great
things for them.”
The Lord has done great things for us,
and we are filled with joy.
Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
like streams in the Negev.
Those who sow in tears
will reap with songs of joy.
He who goes out weeping,
carrying seed to sow,
will return with songs of joy,
carrying sheaves with him.

I got all giddy when I read the headlines stating new artifacts were found in Jerusalem. I even called my husband to share the news. Of course, he didn’t get my excitement. But then I suppose he never tried to dig his way to China when he was a kid in search of cool artifacts from the ancient days. And I suppose he’s never dreamed of attending an archaeological dig in Israel.

Yeah, I should have been an archaeologist, but that’s all right, God had greater things in store for my life.

Anyway, the items found were a Roman sword, which I have yet to see a picture of, and a stone with the Menorah carved into it. You can find the articles at CNN.com and Haaretz. Both items are exciting and I can’t wait to see what more the specialists have to say about these items. But given that the stone is believed to be a carving from an actual eye-witness to the Temple Menorah before it’s destruction I’m most excited about the stone.

I won’t pretend to understand the whys and hows, but I find it a little ironic that the Roman sword, a symbol of Jerusalem’s destruction and a carving of the Menorah, a symbol of creation looking to the Light of God, have been found together and so closely to the Temple Mount. Whatever the God’s reasoning, I’m sure it’s been a reminder to the Hebrew people of what happens when God’s people harden their hearts toward Him. But I can’t help wonder if it’s a sign, a sign that God will restore Jerusalem fully and completely if they’ll only call upon the One true God.  

For more information on the beginnings of the Menorah read Exodus 25:31-40